Making the Compromise

After discussing the issue and stating our points on each side of the issue, I have come to realize that no matter what the drinking problem will always remain just that, a problem. Once we went back and forth with our reasons why it should either stay at the same 21 drinking age or be lowered to 18, valid points were made and in the end we have come up with two possible solutions to the issue. Each side to the issue has very valid points and no matter what each side is going to have some reasons why it seems better than the other, yet in the end neither will be perfect.

It is supposed to be the decision of each individual state whether or not they want to set a minimum drinking age, but the federal government threatened to refuse highway funds if the states didn’t raise their drinking age to 21. Because of this the National Minimum Drinking Age Act is quite possibly unconstitutional. If they change this and actually abide by the Act and allow each individual state to make the decision for themselves whether or not they want to make the legal drinking age 18 or 21, then this can be a great compromise with this issue.

Yet another solution is to allow teens to drink responsibly at age 18 with the supervision of their parents or guardians, but they cannot purchase alcohol themselves until they are 21 or consume it in a bar or nightclub. This solution hits on several topics. Teens can’t therefore buy alcohol for high school friends that may not be 18 yet, they are learning to drink responsibly because they are under some sort of supervision; drunk driving will decrease because teens will feel more comfortable calling a parent for a ride because it is no longer illegal for them to drink, and teens can go off to college with a more responsible idea of drinking and can be safer in their actions and how often they consume alcohol.

http://www.2facts.com/ICOF/temp/76272tempi110