It has been the leading headline in major news articles nationwide from the L. to New York Times all posing the same question. "Should the legal drinking age be lowered in the United States?" The National Minimum Drinking Act of 1984 helped nationalize the legal drinking age of 21. Though at the time statistically lowering the amount of alcohol related injuries this act has become obsolete. The legal drinking age in the United States, of 21, should be lowered due to the consideration of adulthood at the age of 18, for safety reasons, and due to an overwhelming ineffectiveness of the Minimal Drinking Act of 1984. .
In the United States an individual is considered an adult at the age of 18. Adulthood comes with a copious list of privileges such as the right to vote, right to serve jury, marry, make a will, buy and sell property, enter binding contracts, and the list continues. Drinking alcohol is not included in this list of adult privileges. One may pose the question "Why not?". It would only seem rational that someone given the ability to alter a countries future laws and regulations would be entrusted enough to drink responsibly. An 18 year old not only has the ability to vote but also the privilege of serving jury. Jury entails the proposition of determining the future well-being of another adult through one's own judgment. If one is entrusted with such a responsibility, then surly the individual is mentally prepared to act responsibly with alcohol in accordance to the welfare of others. .
The United States deem 18 the legal age in which you may join the military and "pay the ultimate sacrifice" for your country. Death is the extremity to our existence, it's what every living being, animal, and cell try to avoid, it's innate. Everyone is entitled to natural rights; which consist of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When a government is prepared to take life away; a born right, then undoubtedly this adult in such a case is entitled to the consumption of alcohol.
