In the United States, it is illegal to consume alcohol until the age of twenty-one. At the age of eighteen, a person can get married, vote, drive, take out loans, pay taxes, buy tobacco, and be in the armed forces and die for their country. Yet that person still cannot drink alcohol. In many other countries the drinking age is lower. It is imperative that the drinking age be lowered to the age of eighteen. The drinking age must be lowered to the age of eighteen because this age would be consistent with other responsibilities that the government grants eighteen-year-olds. For instance, at the age of eighteen, a person is liable to be in the armed forces. If a person is being trusted to fight or even possibly die for their country, it seems a lot less crucial to trust them with an alcoholic beverage. To add to the fact of dying for their country, these people are being counted on to kill other humans. This seems unreasonable that a person is liable to take on an adult's job, that involves the future of the country, and still be unable to enjoy an activity that other adults are allowed to participate in. If one can be expected to kill and die for their country, then they have the maturity to look at alcohol as a social activity to interact with peers and adults and not as a way to alter their conscience. In addition, many financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America bombard people fresh out of high school. These companies are offering them Visa and Master Cards with up to 25% annual percentage rates (APR). How is someone with no credit history and little or no income supposed to take such huge financial responsibilities? They are expected to be able to take on this burden, yet they still can't buy a six-pack to get their mind off the fact that they are in serious debt with their new credit card. Most twenty-one year olds that own credit cards want to get drunk when they realize that they have such enormous financial burdens, when eighteen-year-olds don't even have this option.
