Have you heard this argument regarding under-age drinking? “The law only makes youth want to drink because it’s a ‘forbidden fruit.’ If drinking alcohol was legal at 18, it wouldn’t be a big deal and those under 21 would be less likely to drink.”
Consider this response: When the “forbidden fruit” is no longer forbidden, youth simply drink more. According to www.why21.org:
In states where the drinking age was 18, those under 21 drank more than youth in states where the minimum drinking age was 21 and they continued to drink more as adults in their early 20s. In states where the drinking age was 21, teenagers drank less than youth in states where the minimum drinking age was 21 and continued to drink less through their early 20s.
But drinking more is not the only issue. Because alcohol impairs decision-making capabilities, young people who drink are more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior. And this risky behavior can lead to unintentional deaths and injuries associated with driving or engaging in other activities that lead to homicide and violence, suicide attempts, sexual assault, risky sexual behavior, and vandalism and property damage.
Drinking at earlier ages is also associated with higher rates of drinking later in life. In fact, 40 percent of those who started drinking before 15 meet criteria for alcohol dependence at some time in their lives.
More info may be found at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
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