What is it that everyone is doing you may ask? Well according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), almost every single student enrolled in college is affected by alcohol in some way, whether the student drinks or not. I have not reached the age of 20, yet I know people my age who probably have consumed more alcohol in the past couple of years than I will in the next 20 years.
I can only see this problem getting worse. In my opinion, the legal drinking age should be lowered to at least 18 years old or until the person graduates from high school. This should only happen if this is accompanied by strict laws regarding drunk driving and public drunkenness. Personally, I do not see the point of drinking myself into oblivion. Each year an estimated 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol and nearly 2,000 students in the same age range die from alcohol (according to the NIAAA). This number doesn't begin to address other terrible things that occur. I don't come from a big drinking family. The most I ever see my parents and relatives ever drink are a couple glasses of wine or a few beers. I have heard stories though, of the parents of my friends getting very drunk at parties which I find funny, especially when I have had them (the parents) as teachers. These stories and others that I have heard about college experiences can be hilarious, yet terrifying. I cannot believe how lucky some people are that things haven't been worse and gotten hurt or killed. I have been blessed that I haven't been close to anyone who was ever involved in a drunken car accident, and of my friends that do drink, they make sure they have a sober driver or they are sleeping over at the house.I have asked people why they drink and they often say "Its fun". I have never understood what is "fun" about it. I like knowing what I did the night before and I love waking up without headaches. I have never drank enough to become drunk so have only heard what the experience is like. Alcohol affects every facets of a person's lives beyond the night of drinking. I think one of the most upsetting things that I have heard is when someone my age said "I wouldn't ever do that sober" when in a group discussing possible things to do for a birthday when a couple of years ago I never would have heard those words come out of that person's mouth. I understand when people drink with their friends in a close, intimate setting, yet when people talk about going into a large city belligerently drunk or just out in public, I only see disaster, whether it be poor personal decisions being made, or the horrifying possibility of a sexual assault.
I think that people need to really think about what they are doing and how it may affect people around them. Also they should think about themselves and know their limits so they don't harm their own bodies and possibly end up in the hospital. Underage drinking won't ever disappear, so awareness and responsibility are the keys to keeping everyone safe in my mind. I deeply admire those who haven't had any alcohol and strive to be sober for life. Telling teenagers and young college students to stop drinking often times encourages the habit behind the backs of people they love. I want to advise people to be careful and make smart decisions because nobody needs something tragic to happen, especially to people so young.
For More Information:
https://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
If anyone wants to send me a well-written rebuttal I'll gladly post it up
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