Lowering the drinking age law would have positive cultural, health, and economic effects on American society. Ruth C. Engs, a former Applied Health Professor at Indiana University, states, “research has revealed low incidence of alcoholism or alcohol abuse among cultural groups who use alcohol as part of their daily lives” (Engs). As Peele points out, Italy, Greece and Israel are a few of the cultures that have their cultural perspective on alcohol figured out, for they allow children to drink diluted alcoholic beverages or wine during religious or special events throughout their childhood, which teaches them to drink in moderation and reduces the novelty of alcohol (Pifer).

To counter this position, researcher Dr. Övgü Kaynak concluded that parental provision of alcohol is associated with increased teen alcohol use (Vimont). Kaynak’s finding assumes that the consequences of increased teen alcohol use are always negative, however, she fails to recognize the fact that parents have the ability to teach responsible drinking habits to their children. Due to the widespread rates of underage drinking, it is clear that young adults will drink regardless of whether their parents allow them to drink at home. For that reason, there will be better outcomes if parents incorporate experiences of responsible consumption of alcohol at home.

What are the health benefits of moderate drinking?

Studies have shown that “moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers”; additionally, Americans who drink moderately every day are hospitalized less, have a decreased risk of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and diabetes, and have the lowest levels of hypertension (Hanchey). While binge drinking has detrimental effects on health, moderate drinking has actually been proven to have beneficial health effects on men and women.

A glass of red wine (Creative Commons)

What are the costs of binge drinking?

According to the National Institutes of Health, alcohol misuse cost the $249.0 billion in 2010, and “three-quarters of the total cost of alcohol misuse is related to binge drinking” (Facts). The government spends billions of dollars per year on a preventable issue that is perpetuated by its own laws, while this money could be allocated to a host of other worthy causes. American society as a whole loses out on the money that the United States spends in response to the consequences of binge-drinking.