Readers Question: Evaluate the case for raising the legal drinking age to 21. Will it be more effective than other methods for reducing the harmful effects of alcohol?
There are several reasons to be concerned about the over-consumption of alcohol, especially amongst young people. In the UK, abuse of alcohol has contributed to several social, economic and health problems, including:
- Alcohol-related accidents.
- Health problems
- Alcohol addiction is a major cause of family breakdown.
- According to a report, “Health First: An evidence-based alcohol strategy for the UK”. “The personal, social and economic cost of alcohol has been estimated to be up to £55bn per year for England and £7.5bn for Scotland,”
- Research carried out by Sheffield University for the government shows a 45p minimum price would reduce the consumption of alcohol by 4.3%, leading to 2,000 fewer deaths and 66,000 hospital admissions after 10 years. Researchers also claim the number of crimes would drop by 24,000 a year.
From an economic perspective, we say that alcohol is a demerit good.
- People may underestimate the personal costs of drinking alcohol to excess (especially amongst young people)
- There are external costs to society, e.g. costs of health care, costs of treating accidents, days lost from work. Therefore the social cost of alcohol is greater than the private cost.
These two factors give a justification for government intervention to deal with some issues related to alcohol. Raising the legal drinking age could help reduce these personal and social costs because it is more difficult to purchase.
Arguments against raising the drinking age to 21
- At 18, people can vote and are considered adults, so we should allow them to have a personal decision on whether to consume alcohol.
- Alcohol in moderation isn’t necessarily harmful. Rather than a blanket ban, the government could focus on tackling binge drinking through making alcohol more expensive and tackling the drinking culture.
- Drinking alcohol is so embedded in the culture, raising the legal age to 21, will make the majority of young people break the law.
- It will encourage people to find ways to circumnavigate the law. Black market alcohol supplies, which may be harder to monitor.
- Arguably, there are better ways to deal with problems of alcohol.
Will raising the drinking age to 21 be effective?
Raising the drinking age to 21 will reduce consumption amongst young people because it will be harder to buy alcohol. Also, young people are the most likely group to misuse alcohol; e.g. drinking to excess, which causes accidents, death and health problems. If people start drinking later in life, they may be more likely to drink in moderation and not get addicted at an early age.
However, it will still be possible for young people to drink at home. People will find ways to avoid the legislation e.g. asking older people to buy alcohol for them. Nevertheless, it will be more difficult. For example, a 16-year-old may not be able to get away with drinking in a pub any more. If the age is 18, it is much easier for a 16 or 17-year-old to get away with drinking alcohol.
This policy doesn’t address the underlying problem of why people want to drink to excess. For that education may be a better solution; education could help to explain the dangers of excess drinking and therefore encourage young people to drink moderation. However, previous education policies have not seemed to be very effective. Young people don’t want to hear lectures from the government about the dangers of alcohol.
Other Solutions
Higher taxes increase the cost of alcohol and may have a significant effect in reducing demand amongst young people, who have lower disposable incomes. If demand is reduced by say 20% this may reduce many of the problems of over-consumption. This policy also raises revenue for the government. But, on the other hand, it may increase the incentive to import low duty alcohol from abroad. Demand for alcohol may also be inelastic and not effective in stopping consumption.
See also:
- Tax on alcohol
- Minimum price for alcohol – pros and cons
In practice, there is very little that the government can do to change social and individual attitudes to alcohol, which is the root cause of most alcohol abuse.
In the US the legal drinking age is 21. They still have many alcohol-related problems, but, it is significantly more difficult for young people to regularly drink alcohol.
What do you think – should alcohol be illegal for under 21s?
the drinking age should not be raised to 21 because if we want to stop young people from drinking then we shouldnt use bandaid solutions – we need to find out why these people drink. it could be because they have a bad social life and use alcohol to realx themselves and then they are able to talk freely and socialise like normal people. or it could be because they have a bad home life with parents because their parents are always at work and they never have anyone to come home to and dont get much love and support from their parents. then they use alcohol to completely forget about everything that is happening in their lives.
also if we raised the alcohol limit to 21 then people who already drink that are under this limit will be addicted and want to break the law, and this means they will be sent to jail and this will fill up our prisons and not leave room for more inprtant crimes such as murder and robberies.
also bars will lose money because as statistics show, most of the people who enter bars are aged from 18-21. so this means that bars will only make half the amout they normally do.
also there will be lots of protests from people who previously drink
there will be increased sales for blackmarkets, and im sure we sone want this
teenagers will be tempted to lie to their parents and drink secretly, and the parents of these people will not approve of what their child is doing.
all the reasons above is why the drinking age limit should not be raised to 21.
(p.s. i am only 11 years old but this research is for a school debate)
🙂 🙂 😛 😀 😉 drinking age should not be raised to 21
leave it 2 age 18 becuase of all the 18 year oldss are going to be angry and create mischeif
the drinking age should not be raised to 21 because if we want to stop young people from drinking then we shouldnt use bandaid solutions – we need to find out why these people drink. it could be because they have a bad social life and use alcohol to realx themselves and then they are able to talk freely and socialise like normal people. or it could be because they have a bad home life with parents because their parents are always at work and they never have anyone to come home to and dont get much love and support from their parents. then they use alcohol to completely forget about everything that is happening in their lives.
also if we raised the alcohol limit to 21 then people who already drink that are under this limit will be addicted and want to break the law, and this means they will be sent to jail and this will fill up our prisons and not leave room for more inprtant crimes such as murder and robberies.
also bars will lose money because as statistics show, most of the people who enter bars are aged from 18-21. so this means that bars will only make half the amout they normally do.
also there will be lots of protests from people who previously drink
there will be increased sales for blackmarkets, and im sure we sone want this
teenagers will be tempted to lie to their parents and drink secretly, and the parents of these people will not approve of what their child is doing.
all the reasons above is why the drinking age limit should not be raised to 21.
(p.s. i am only 11 years old but this research is for a school debate)
DUDES, CHILLAX GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ, i think like i would like totally want to get gucci alcohol, that would be amaaaaaaaazing 🙂
dudes, like 18 yr olds are year 12, thats when all their exams are DUH! so like thats bad cos then if they drink well they wont do very well.
ohhh emm geee my friend like totally drinks with all her gansta friends and smokes majoooana and like goes and sleeps at guys houses and does like who knows whaaat, and she’s 13 soo like no it probs wont make a diffeerence but who knows bromie
and like yo dude bro lets have a solo at the disco BRO mo oooo low , anyway that was my rap and like they’ll wanna do it more to be more R E B E L L I O U S yeeh cos teens are like rebels bro
and im like seventeen and like im on a highhhh so like ignore thisss yo 😉 IILIIIES <3 luv youuuu oh emm gee its my birthday tomorrow xD im sooo happy im getting a blackberry, thats totally awesome! HAHHAHAHEHEHEHOOOHOOOHOOHAHHAA
LMFAMTSWSSHHHHHH
thats soooo cool 😀
I want the drinking age raised up to 25 !!
Even I am a drunker . but I dont do crazy stuffs !! I dont drive when I am driNk!! I saw my friends who had an accident and damage her whole life.. !! It is really terrible.
why we have to get drunk?? Eveyone have their own problem! U think U have a lot of problem !! U think because U dont have a nice car, Fency stuffs or a nice Girls !! so U get drunk to forget everything !! let me Tell You !! It is stupid when U do that, U dont have it because U dont try it !! If u want to have a nice car, get a Job to earn some money !! dont have fency stuffs !! buy it !! need a sexy girls !! Look for one !!! If you dont do it !! U never will get it !!
other than that, I know sometimes party is for fun !! Have some drink is OK!! but do not drink Everyday,,, try to do something that Can Help Yourself and help the Earth !!
i drink and im 15 i love alcohol!!!
keep it at 18
changing it wont make anything change cause, im 15 and i will drink no matter what, ever think about fake id? well im 15 and pass as 21 (my sisters id) so do what you please i win either way.
ever think you’d get caught
yes i think it should be raised to the age of 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i think we should have the drinking to be raised to 21 that will be more better
i think the drinking age should be 21
Raise it to 21!
I think that it would be so much better on everybody, even people who drink. You guys dont think about the consequenses of your actions! You are wasting your life!
I think that age of drinking should stay at the age of 18 because if it go’s up to 21 people would go to drugs!!!