Pros to our policy change

Our overarching goal is to change the drinking age from 19 to 18; however, this goal is based on youth and what they feel, say and represent in society. Our group is taking a participatory approach and including youth in the decision making on policies that effect them. By decreasing the drinking age and including them young persons are given more autonomy, self efficacy and self-determination. We are giving young persons the right to be an adult when they reach the age of majority.

Society is saying they are adult enough for everything else so lets include drinking. They are old enough to vote and that in itself is a big responsibility. We are empowering young persons, by letting them know they are responsible adults and that society trusts them. If they are adults they should not need a special law.

Also, this takes away from the fact that youth are the sole cause for alcohol related incidents, as statistics show that adults 30-39 years drink 85.2% during a 12 month span, where adults 18-29 years drink 87.2% (Smart & Ogborne, 1996). So, its just not young persons that represent national drinking rates.

Higher drinking ages don’t stop young persons from drinking, they just find other ways to do it. If the drinking age was lowered there would be a decrease in binge drinking and allow young persons to drink in supervised environments. Instead of moving them to drink underground in unsafe environments they would be able to drink in supervised areas with licenses. With higher alcohol age limits young people find it harder to get alcohol so when they do, they drink excessively. This creates a harmful attitude towards alcohol.