Answer:
Alcohol belongs in the category of psychoactive substances one can legally buy in almost any
country, according to certain criteria. Most often, this criterion is age; in the majority of cases, it
is set to 21 years. However, in a number of countries, such as Australia, China, and Russia, it is
set to 18 (ICAP). In the United states, calls for lowering the drinking age have sounded for a rather
long time; considering that alcohol can lead to unpredictable behavior and other negative social
consequences, the drinking age should not be lowered.
One of the first associations that come to mind when talking about alcohol is driving. For citizens
of the United States, having a car is seen as a must starting from the age when a teenager is
allowed to receive a driving license. According to data provided by the organization Mothers
Against Drunk Driving, in 2010, a high percentage of car accidents connected to drunk driving
(15.1% out of 10.228 individuals) was observed among young people aged between 18-20 years.
Respectively, if youths were officially allowed to consume alcohol from 18 years old, this index
of car accidents would necessarily be much higher. Moreover, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration claims that since establishing the drinking age of 21 in 1975, the number of car
fatalities among 18-20-year-old drivers in the United States decreased by 13%.
Explanation:
