Thesis: The establishment of 21 years as the legal drinking age is safe for both civilians and military personnel.
I. Topic sentence
Drinking starting at an early age is detrimental in the substance and alcohol abuse later in life.
Young people engaging in alcohol taking increases higher risk of AUD disorder in their later life.
A. Supporting Idea
Alcohol consumption correlates with health outcomes (Norberg 2180)
Physical health and mental stability or health is correlated (Teachman, Carter Anderson. Tedrow 460)
B. Alcohol exposure increases the chances of drinking
Alcohol effects daily operation and duties of a worker (Fuehrlein 1786)
II. 2nd topic sentence
AUD prevalence increases anxiety and current mood disorders, drug use disorder and suicide attempts
WK. 12 Annotated
Bibliography
Of Five SourcesWallace, A.E, A Wallace, and W.B Weeks. "The US Military As a Natural Experiment: Changes in Drinking Age, Military Environment, and Later Alcohol Treatment Episodes Among Veterans." Military Medicine. 173.7 (2008): 619-625. Print.
The United States military bases before 1982 allowed alcohol drinking to all ages. However, in 1988, there were policies aimed at discouraging underage and drinking problem. 21 years became the legal drinking with the new policies. The study examined whether such changes had any effect on later alcohol treatment episodes among civilians and veterans. The findings indicate that enforcement of 21-year minimum legal drinking age contributed to the improvement in alcohol treatment among veterans compared their civilians’ counterparts.
Norberg, Karen E, Laura J. Bierut, and Richard A. Grucza. "Long-term Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws on Past-Year Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders." Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 33.12 (2009): 2180-2190. Print
Studies indicate that alcohol drinking that starts an early age is detrimental in the substance and alcohol abuse later in life. The research compared different legal minimum drinking age laws. The sample total was 33,869 respondents and must have been US-born citizen between 1948 to 1970. The finding indicates that the adults who bought alcohol before the age of 21 years were likely to suffer from alcohol use disorder.
Teachman, Jay, Carter Anderson, and Lucky M. Tedrow. "Military Service and Alcohol Use in the United States." Armed Forces " Society. 41.3 (2015): 460-476. Print
The veterans and enlistees have a higher likely hood of alcohol use compared to the civilians. The study is based cross-sectional data and did not consider alcohol use among women in the military service. However, the study investigates the alcohol consumption and military service. The findings show that the military service has a significant influence on alcohol consumption among young men. The male veterans consumed more compared to the nonveterans.
Agius, Marie. Alcohol Exposure While Serving in the United States Military. , 2018. http://thescholarship.ecu.edu/bitstream/handle/10342/6512/AGIUS-DOCTORALDISSERTATION-2018.pdf?sequence=1"isAllowed=y. Accessed on April 28, 2018
The alcohol use and misuse and related problems experienced a significant increase over the last three decades. The research concentrates on alcohol-related problem among the military servicemen. The study sought to understand the exposure to alcohol and its effects on daily duties of military personnel using. The study used phenomenological design. Alcohol is available in base bars or clubs. There are different options where services can go for alcohol. Drinking takes place in homes, barracks, and deployment as well as picnics and parties.
Fuehrlein, Brian S, Natalie Mota, Albert J. Arias, Louis A. Trevisan, Lorig K. Kachadourian, John H. Krystal, Steven M. Southwick, and Robert H. Pietrzak. "The Burden of Alcohol Use Disorders in Us Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study." Addiction. 111.10 (2016): 1786-1794. Print
The article aimed at analyzing data from a sample US veteran. It addressed lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD). The web-based survey was used to randomly pick US veterans from all over the US. There were 3157 participants aged 21 and above. Findings: the AUD prevalence was on the increase. The affected showed high rates of anxiety and current mood disorders, drug use disorder and suicide attempts. The young-aged and lower education increased the chances of traumatic events and lifetime AUD. Over 40% of the military Veterans in the US experience lifetime history of AUD.
WK 13 Essay Outline
Introduction
The MLDA of 21 is an important policy in the modern America. It prevents under age drinking thus ensure quality health free of anxiety and alcohol dependence in people’s later years of life.
1. Topic Sentence
The young men and women (18 year) had the right to right to vote, and fight for their country but not consume alcohol.
Body
A. It was legal for the soldiers of all ages including 18-year-old to take alcohol in the United States military bases
1. The Minimum Drinking Act aimed at discouraging underage and drinking problem. 21.
a. Military men aged between 18-35 years have a great propensity to drink (Agius 1).
b. Military service has a significant influence on alcohol consumption among young men
B. Supporting Idea
1. The 21 years policy takes into account the adverse effects associated with underage drinking. The benefits of this MLDA will significantly help in later years of life (Fuehrlein, et al. 1786).
2. Problematic behavior persisting to later years of adulthood (Norberg et al 2180).
2nd Topic sentence
The people opposing MLDA of 21 years argue the National Minimum Drinking Act is a gross contravention of the civil rights and liberties
Conclusion
The establishment of 21 years as the legal drinking age is safe for both civilians and military personnel.
Society needs to be educational advocates in order to promote healthy lifestyles among the youths, veterans thus avoid showing alcohol treatment episodes in later years of their lives.
Wk. 14 Argumentative Essay
People aged 18 increases in their numbers during the Vietnamese War. The young men and women had the right to right to vote, and fight for their country but not consume alcohol. Many of the states lowered the minimum legal drinking age to 18 years during the 1970s. The lowering of drinking age led to increased fatalities later in that decade and people could not comply with the Highway Code. In 1988, the states reversed the MLDA to 21 years. The military was the first to the introduce 21-years age limit for alcohol consumption among the servicemen. Congress enacted laws to guide drinking age in military bases. The military leadership acknowledged the fact that the occupational and condition associated with the service including drinking culture, combat, and duty overseas. The situations increase the risks and consequences of young people and lifetime drinking problem. The establishment of 21 years as the legal drinking age is safe for both civilians and military personnel.
Alcohol is a widely abused substance among adolescents and young adults in the United States. The population engaging in binge drinks and is likely to involve themselves in a variety of behavior. Drunken youths drive after drinking, never wear safety belts or carry weapons, engage in unprotected sexual activities and illicit drug use. The frequent alcohol takers get physical injuries during fights and try to commit suicide. Additionally, the development of brain continues to in their middle age. Alcohol misuse among the teenagers results to cognitive impairment in attention and memory deficits. Lowering the legal drinking age (MLDA) contributes to short-term effects such as teen suicides and traffic fatalities. Studies continue to investigate the relationship between permissive MLDA laws and alcohol drinking behavior. The findings indicate a problematic behavior persisting to later years of adulthood (Norberg et al 2180).
The drinking age law is applicable in 50 counties intended to reduce the number of traffic deaths caused by drunk young drivers. Combination of legal drinking age and the Driving under influence (DUI) rules helped the country succeeded in reducing the fatalities on the roads. The reality is that 18 years in the United States is no a legal drinking adult.
The citizens of United States undergo different initiation stages in life. One can acquire a hunting license at 12 years, driving license at 16 and serving the military at 18 years. Individuals who want to a member of the House of Commons must attain 25 years, 30 years in the Senate and 35 years if they seek the presidential seat. Minimum initiation into alcohol drinking should consider specific behavior, benefits, and dangers. The 21 years policy takes into account the adverse effects associated with underage drinking. The benefits of this MLDA will significantly help in later years of life. The states that allow drinking at 18 years have adults experiencing alcohol abuse, drug, and alcohol dependence (Fuehrlein, et al. 1786).
The logic of lowering the drinking age to allure illegality so that the youth can stop binging is wrong and unsustainable. Increasing drinking age to 21 the youth may increase propensity whether the drug is illegal or not. In the military, not all drinking is illegal depending on the station one is dispatched. The US federal laws require servicemen to adhere to the states or jurisdiction of their current operations and station. The Department of Defense research indicates that soldiers drink less alcohol if it is legal. An estimated 15% of the military officers of all age are heavy alcohol abusers in the United States. Outside American continent, about 25 % are heavy drinkers. Further, the results indicate that soldiers stationed in binge drinking are less likely due to the MLDA of 21. Two assumptions here are that allurement to forbidden fruit and poor enforcement lead to drinking among young people. Military men aged between 18-35 years have a great propensity to drink (Agius 1). However, they do less of it if they are working within US jurisdiction.
The people opposing MLDA of 21 argue the National Minimum Drinking Act passed over thirty years should be repealed. It is a gross contravention of the civil rights and liberties. It is unjust and absurd that people at 18 years can marry, vote, enter into contracts and serve the military but not buy a drink at the restaurant and bars. The puritanical law interferes with personal choice. Other critics of the laws indicate that prohibiting the youth from alcohol consumption does not deter them from drinking. They engage in unsafe drinking spree in clandestine parties and secretly in their school boarding area which is an avenue for other drugs. Banning the 21 years as the legal age will lead to binge drinking and overindulge when alcohol is available.
Conclusion
The increasing of MLDA to 21 years is one of the most successful programs aimed at reducing teenage alcohol drinking. The legal sale and consumption of alcohol under this policy succeeded in several fronts. The magnitude may appear minute and insignificant particular in research design with week designs. The youth population in the community benefits from the laws. Enforcement of MLDA 21 has significant inverse with several other outcomes. It contributes to better health outcomes for veterans and civilians showing alcohol treatment episodes among civilians and veterans
Work Cited
Agius, Marie. Alcohol Exposure While Serving in the United States Military. , 2018. http://thescholarship.ecu.edu/bitstream/handle/10342/6512/AGIUS-DOCTORALDISSERTATION-2018.pdf?sequence=1"isAllowed=y. Accessed on April 28, 2018
Fuehrlein, Brian S, Natalie Mota, Albert J. Arias, Louis A. Trevisan, Lorig K. Kachadourian, John H. Krystal, Steven M. Southwick, and Robert H. Pietrzak. "The Burden of Alcohol Use Disorders in Us Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study." Addiction. 111.10 (2016): 1786-1794. Print
Norberg, Karen E, Laura J. Bierut, and Richard A. Grucza. "Long-term Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws on Past-Year Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders." Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 33.12 (2009): 2180-2190. Print
Teachman, J., Anderson, C., " Tedrow, L. M. (July 01, 2015). Military Service and Alcohol Use in the United States. Armed Forces " Society, 41, 3, 460-476.
Wallace, A.E, A Wallace, and W.B Weeks. "The U.s. Military As a Natural Experiment: Changes in Drinking Age, Military Environment, and Later Alcohol Treatment Episodes Among Veterans." Military Medicine. 173.7 (2008): 619-625. Print.
