Emily Blair . Ms.Kaba. Research Paper. 13 May 2017. The

Emily Blair Ms.Kaba Research Paper 13 May 2017 The Legal Drinking Age is Not Working A problem that is becoming very prevalent throughout the United States is underage drinking. Although the legal age of alcohol consumption is twenty one, alcohol abuse still remains a significant problem with American youth. Almost all alcohol consumption by teenagers is done through binge drinking. In America the age of eighteen is when you are finally considered an â€Å"adult†. Although you are now considered an adult and have legal and social responsibilities, you are not legally allowed to consume any alcoholic beverages . This is a very different approach than neighboring countries such as Canada and Mexico. In countries like these, where there are†¦show more content†¦While on the other hand cigarettes are are not only bad for the person who is smoking them they are bad for the people around them. But, the US still allows eighteen year olds to purchase tobacco products without the blink of an eye. You are also allowed to purchase a firearm. Although this is a right protected by the constitution, America trusts their youth, who are barely out of high school, to handle a fully loaded weapon. The US gives these teenagers many new obligations but can not let them participate in alcohol consumption. Countries that have a lower drinking age do not have as many problems as The United States. The US and places such as Europe do not treat alcohol the same way. In Europe, kids as young as twelve share a glass of wine with their parents at dinner. In America if you were to see a situation like that the authorities would be involved. The country does not condition or ease its youth into drinking. They are taught that drinking is a social activity to drink in moderation. In America, moderation and alcohol do not mix. The US does not like to admit that a very large percentage of youth partaken in not just drinking alcohol, but binge drinking. Because of this it leads to many accidents. Around 2,000 teenagers die each year from alcohol related car accidents. In Europe the rate of alcohol related car crashes has had a decline much quicker than the US. The youth in Europe tend to have more responsibility and control compared to