In the 1980s, the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 in the United States in hopes of reducing the rate of drunk driving among young people. This tactic, however, was not very effective. In fact, contemporary theorists believe that lowering the drinking age back to 18 would have positive effects on the current rate of drunk driving and other alcohol-related problems.

College drinking is certainly not uncommon. It is something that is ingrained in college culture and campus life. It has been reported that on average, the vast majority of college students drink. Of those students, 48% of the alcohol consumed at a 4 year college is consumed by an underage student.

Many believe that if the drinking age was lowered to 18, the negative effects of college drinking would decrease. We’ve compiled a list of popular (and convincing!) arguments why the drinking age should be lowered to 18.

1. Create a Controlled Environment

If the drinking age was lowered to 18, young adults would be able to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, bars and events. In these environments, responsible drinking could be something that’s taught and controlled.

Underage college drinking usually takes place in dorms and other student housing, where it is unsupervised and often out of control. Students are much more likely to binge drink when the alcohol they’re consuming is cheaper and if there are no adults to monitor them.

2.  Eliminate the “Forbidden Fruit”

It is human nature to want what we can’t have. When there is a restriction on alcohol, it becomes that much more desirable for students. That way, when students below the legal drinking age do get their hands on it, they are likely to abuse it.

A case in point example of this is the Prohibition. In the 1920s, Prohibition laws banned the sale and manufacturing of alcohol in the US. Rather than decreasing alcohol consumption, however, this law backfired and alcoholism became rampant behind closed doors.

3. Grant Adult Rights

So at 18, a person in the United States is afforded the right to vote, the right to marry, and the ability to serve in the military. It is a hypocritical notion that the drinking age is three years higher than the age at which a person can participate in combat.

Making the drinking age 18 would not, of course, eliminate all the problems of college drinking or drunk driving, but it would bring the law in line with the age of legal adulthood in the United States. It is also likely to make alcohol less attractive to those below the legal drinking age, so they are less likely to abuse it.

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