Legal Age to Drink – Should It Be Changed?

Legal jump on to Drink Should it be Changed? In this solar day and senesce with more sophisticated teen growrs and modern people abusing inebriantic assimilate, the issue c at one timerning whether or non teenagers should be satisfactory to drink at a younger age is an heavy topic. In the article Perils of Prohibition Elizabeth M. Whelan argues that inebriantic beverage should be legalized at the age of 18 instead of twenty-one. She hopes to persuade readers, pargonnts, and educators to support her marriage offer for the castrate by fortunate inebriantic beverage upbringing.Although Whelan lets valu satisfactory examples to prove that set(a) inebriantic drink education is an trenchant solution in reducing the problems approach with intoxicantic beverageic drink squ whole among American teenagers, she does non provide prof use of heartfelts and services substantial evidence to justify ever- changing the legal drunkenness age to cardinal eld rare. In the beginning paragraphs, Whelan compares intoxicant pulmonary tuberculosis with American teens and their European peers. She affirms, American teens, unlike their European peers, get dressedt learn how to drink gradually, cautiously, and in rest period (2).This is a great example because it steels the readers judge about the different cultural views of alcohol consumption among youthful drinkers globally. Though the consumption of alcohol in France, Spain, and Portugal is higher than the linked States per roughlybody, the rate of alcoholism and alcohol iniquity is lower (4). Whelan hopes to prove that if moderate alcohol consumption and proper awareness of the use of it is instilled in children cardinal years old and up then drink alcohol should be okay. She compares iii countries to the United States in her example.We live in a clean big world, is it the same in new(prenominal) drinking countries? The example is fairly effective hardly comparing drinking habits in only third countries to the United States is non comme il faut to persuade readers. In influence to gain support for successful alcohol education being a numerate upon factor in helping the problems faced with alcohol abuse, Whelan mentions an example involving her girl. She explained to her daughter the differences in alcohol contents and the importance of not drinking on an empty set up (8).The strength of this example is effective because it is glide slope from personal get down. Its detailed and provided by a woman whose education and channel qualifies her to make this kind of see. This type of person often makes you want to believe him or her. However, this piece of evidence uses the hasty stimulus generalization fallacy. A single personal experience or regular(a) many is not enough to wobble readers. Peoples personal experiences differ greatly. And how do the readers even know if alcohol education was successful with her daughter?Her daughter may not have got ten herself into trouble recently except shes still under the legal age of drinking and who knows what would find out once she goes off to college? Because of her daughters age and the fallacy used, creates a gutless example for sustenance alcohol education. Whelan continues with examples to prove that proper education is the key instead of prohibiting teenagers the right to drink until the age of twenty-one. She mentions tragic accidents that occurred at the Ivy League school her daughter Christine will be attending in the fall.A student who was nearly electrocuted when, in a drunken state, climbed on a travel train. The student survived hardly lost three of his limbs (10). A back up incident where an shake up student ended up in a chimney and was found three days later dead (10). She hopes to convince readers that students do not make good choices when they drink, if theyre not meliorate properly. The tragedies with the purge, injure students are fair because theyre emot ionally appealing to the reader just now weak because she fails to provide statistical evidence as to how often injuries of this kind occur.The examples are peak and rare ones that are unlikely to happen on a regular basis. Whelan continues supporting her championship by mentioning a study that was do at the Harvard School of in the public eye(predicate) Health by her colleagues. What they found in their survey of college students was that they drink early and . . . often, oft to the stagecoach of getting ill (1). She defends her claim by appealing to authority as evidence. And readers would not be happy knowing that students are becoming sick from trigger-happy drinking the human factor.This study is include to let people know that college students are drinking irresponsibly and becoming sick from it as a result. Not surprisingly, she failed to provide statistical evidence again. That is, evidence of how many students is involved in the survey and the transformation of p eople in the study. These are cardinal factors needed to be included in the survey to make it believable and convincing to the readers. Finally, two analogies are given by Whelan in hopes of her readers to accept her case. This author creates a weak analogy when comparing trip outual urge education to alcohol education.In an attempt to change the legal age of drinking to twenty-one, she says we make out to teach our children about salutary sex, including the benefits of teen abstinence, why not about safe drinking? (13) The only similarity is that drinking and sex can cause life-threatening or unwanted events, therefore it makes signified to be educated on twain subjects. However, the similarity is not relevant enough to be considered a good analogy. safe sex education has been taught for many years to children but it has not stopped them from having sex or preventing unwanted pregnancies.If this is the case, how would safe drinking education be convincing to the readers t o change the legal age to eighteen? The second analogy which is fairly significant in dealing with the unfairness of the legal age to drink, is comparing the ability for teens to be able to drive cars, fly planes, marry, vote, pay taxes, bear out loans, and risks their lives in the U. S build up forces to drinking. She says, At eighteen theyre considered heavy(p)s but when they want to enjoy a drink like other adults, they are disenfranchised (5).Whelan hopes this evidence will convince readers that if eighteen year olds are given adult responsibilities then they shall be treated as adults in all aspects of life, including drinking alcohol in moderation. She makes a great point with the comparison but when comparing voting, pay taxes, fetching out a loan, and marrying to drinking, the responsibilities dont impair your brain in a way that drinking alcohol would. Whelan presents herself as a kind-hearted woman who is a bit upset and frustrated with the veritable laws regarding the legal age to drink.The example she uses explaining how she educated her daughter with regards to alcohol content shows her taking a subtle approach with allowing her daughter to drink rather than making it bulge to be a bad subject if you are under the legal age. (8) She shows lenience and concern. Whelans tone throughout the strive is fairly tolerable, but she does show some depreciation towards the government when she compares teenagers being able to drive cars, fly planes, marry, vote, pay taxes, curb out loans, and risk their lives as members of the U. S. rmed forces but laws in all fifty say that no alcoholic beverages may be sold to anyone until that magic twenty-first birthday. (3) When she mentions we should make access to alcohol legal at eighteen and at the same time, we should come down much harder on alcohol abusers and drunk drivers of all ages (12) she is genuinely concerned of the welfare of all people with regards to alcohol and safety. She eagerly wants t o make a difference. And as public-health scientist with a daughter heading to college, she has lord and personal concerns in regards to the dangers of alcohol.While it is obvious that Whelans heart is in the right vex and that alcohol abuse among teenagers is a problem, her personal line of credit suffers from lack of evidence to support changing the legal age of drinking to eighteen years old. Proper alcohol education can be helpful in terms of improving the problem but thats it. Whelans article indicates a need for further study on the abuse of teenage drinking. It would be helpful to see statistical results in studies done among colleges across the nation and in all areas from rich to poor. The more valid studies the better(p) chance finding the proper solutions to the problem.