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From UMassWiki

Dear John W. Oliver,

I am writing to you on behalf of an issue that needs to be addressed. I believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty one years of age, to eighteen. Research shows that the positives overpower the negatives regarding this proposal. The main reason I am interested in this topic is because it affects my age group. I am an eighteen year old college student, and as a college student I am living on my own and I am considered to be an adult. So I ask you, If I am an adult, one who could go off and fight for my country, then why is it that I am not able to have a cocktail at dinner? Since you are the State Representative of Massachusetts, I have decided that the best way to show my argument would be through proposing language for a bill.

An Act Relating To Lowering the Drinking Age To Eighteen “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008.”

The law on behalf of the drinking age shall be lowered to eighteen. The “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” will include the age of purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages. At age eighteen, one will be permitted to purchase and/or consume beer and wine. At age twenty, spirits will also be permitted. Exceptions to the law are consumption of alcohol in private establishments such as the home. “Drinking occurrences for the ages of eighteen-twenty must be in controlled environments as to gain knowledge of appropriate alcohol consumption and be educated through an ideal model” (Engs).

The “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” will have immense affects on the late teen and early twenties age bracket. “Beginning at the age of 18, human beings are considered to be adults in the United States. Attached to adulthood are rights and responsibilities that one must attain according to citizenship of the nation” (Taylor). “Since eighteen year-olds are being given adult rights and responsibilities in all other regards, the right to purchase and consume alcohol should not be excluded“ (Wechsler). These rights and responsibilities are as follows: register to vote, enroll in armed forces, officially unattached to parental/guardians, ownership of residence outside guardians, and accountable for consequences that include penitentiary confinement. Various individuals and groups consider the existing law to be pointless for the actuality that our population according to society and the government begins at the age of eighteen. Dr. James Wright, President of Dartmouth College (stated on Alcohol: Problems and Solutions) contends that, “If the nation could send eighteen year-olds to Iraq and if the College could send its students to off-campus programs in places where drinking was not regulated below age twenty one, then it should be deemed reasonable that students be able to drink legally at age eighteen in the United States.”

Charles P. Smith, Chairman of STOP21 Committee, stated that, “In the past years, eighteen-twenty year-old Wisconsin drivers have done a better job of reducing the rate and percent of alcohol-related highway crashes than any older driver age group. Surely they do not deserve to be punished for that” (U.S. Government).

The drinking age being reduced to the age of eighteen will not put as much pressure on faculty at various colleges and rather than concentrating on drinking laws faculty can focus on educating the student body. Dr. John McCardell, President Emeritus of Middlebury College (quoted on Alcohol: Problems and Solutions), would agree, claiming: “State Legislators, many of whom will admit the law is bad, are held hostage by the denial of federal highway funds if they reduce the drinking age. Our latter-day prohibitionists have driven drinking behind closed doors and underground…Colleges should be given the chance to educate students, who in all other respects are adults, in the appropriate use of alcohol, within campus boundaries and out in the open.” (Hanson)

Disciplinary actions will not have any need to be enforced in conjunction with the discussed bill. The age bracket that is being focused on is currently the violators of the existing law. According to this bill, our nation will be diminishing the collective group of those who have had the need of disciplinary action by allowing them alcohol privileges. “The present bill, which was passed nationally in 1987, elevated the drinking age from eighteen to twenty one. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their purchase and public possession of alcohol age to twenty one, or risk losing federal highway funds under the Federal Highway Aid Act” (ICAP). All states obliged by 1987. “Consequently, this law caused a rebirth of prohibition from the 1920’s. College students began ‘underground drinking’ where other individuals merged together in what was considered the 1990’s collegiate reincarnation of the speakeasy” (Engs). The disciplinary actions were already put into action during the 1980’s and the “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” is aiming towards removing these actions.

Through passing this bill there is reason to be concerned that a small amount of damage might be done to the generation affected in the commencement. “Given that over exhilaration could influence the amount of purchase and consumption of alcohol within the age range could be detrimental. This period of time will be small for the enticement of alcohol will no longer be present. It is argued that a lower drinking age would help teach responsible use of alcohol” (Wechsler). “Alcohol is regarded as a ‘forbidden fruit’ since it was consumed as a rebellion toward the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984” (Engs). Without the limitation on eighteen- twenty year-olds, the appeal of drinking will decrease and eventually the United States will see a decrease in binge drinking. “With the previous law that is now in affect, our nation has come to the realization that eighteen - twenty year-olds display the reactance theory. The theory says that when a person is told not to do something it will more then likely create the opposite effect than planned. The reactance theory takes place when a person deems that their freedom has been taken away from them. This theory creates a state of mind in which a person does anything feasible to regain that control without compromising” (Engs).

Activation of this bill will be nationwide. The current law in place as of 2007 is that every state in the nation must have an age limit of twenty one years of age to purchase or consume alcohol. The “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” has been formulated on the basis of surrounding countries. In order to change our law our nation must compare itself to other countries. Laws in other countries have certain age limitations for purchasing and consuming. “Purchasing laws in these various countries include twelve countries having an age of eighteen, five countries at sixteen, one at twenty, two at twenty one, and approximately six without a minimum purchasing age limit“ (ICAP ). “Of the countries that do have minimum drinking limits there are twenty-six with the age at eighteen, five at the age of sixteen, and Canada is either eighteen or nineteen depending on the province in which one lives” (ICAP). With guidelines from other countries this bill will be successful in its activation. Some predicaments may arise with the difference in age limitation to beer and spirits. This law has been created in this sense in order to facilitate the safety of the population. A gradual process of alcohol presence will create safe drinking habits.

“The only other countries that follow similar laws about alcohol are Malaysia, Ukraine, and South Korea. Although, in South Korea if one is a college student that person is allowed the privilege of drinking before the age of twenty one. The rest of the countries are either ranged from sixteen-twenty years old or do not have a set age limit. Most countries that do have a set age limit have amendments to their laws. For example, in the Netherlands the age for consumption of beer and wine is sixteen where as it is eighteen for spirits unless accompanied by an adult. In Poland the minimum age is eighteen with the comprehension that nothing over 4.5% in alcohol weight is to be consumed. With the understanding of the laws from other countries the United States is able to assess what would be appropriate for our country. This is how our nation deliberated about what the new law would entail which was previously stated” (ICAP).

“Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” will be set into affect on January 1, 2008. This date has been chosen to activate this law for the reason that any eighteenth birthdays that remain in 2007 will be within the cut-off date. There will be no problems with this date for it is the start of a new year. In addition, the age limit is being lowered which one can conclude that this date would be including more of the population rather than excluding any person.

As a national law all states must obey with its contents. Due to the previous law, if any state does not obey then they will be at risk of losing funding for federal highways. This amendment to the law has been drawn from the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. Government funding was removed from those who did not follow the law of raising the drinking age from eighteen to twenty one. The same actions have been put in place for “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008” as a result of the outcome from the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. Every state had complied with the law then and efforts will be made to make sure that every state complies with the latest law. In conclusion, the legal drinking age shall be lowered from twenty one to eighteen on January 1, 2008 according to the “Legal Drinking Age Act of 2008.” To reinstate the contents of the law: at age eighteen, beer and wine may be purchased and consumed and at age twenty spirits. Funding will be cut from any state unwilling to comply with this act. With these regulations, the age bracket of eighteen-twenty should see a decrease in overall alcohol intake. This law will be enacted for the greater good of our nation’s population in hopes of creating healthier consumption practices.

I thank you very much for taking the time to look over this bill.

Sincerely, Jessica Benoit

Jessica 16:26, 2 May 2007 (EDT)