Giovanni Gabriel

Should the U.S government lower the age needed to legally smoke and drink so teens partake less in these activities?

Summary of the problem

People think that drinking under age is bad. Drinking under age is bad because there will be more teens drinking and driving, which means that they can crash and kill other inncent people. Teenegares brains aren't developed, which will lead them to not make the right choice. Under age drinking will lead to addiction, too.

Drunk Driving Education

In this video students participate in a fatal vision program that is in coorperation with the local police and SRO officer. This program was made so that they can show kids on how alcohol and drugs can affect them in their driving. Throughout this video students are driving through a course in a golf cart with some goggles that simulate on how driving under the influence will affect their driving.

Crashing

In this picture it shows a car crash that was caused by a drunk driver. All the victims involed in this crash were intoxicated by drugs and alcohol.

Addiction

Since teens brains aren't fully developed yet they can easily become addicted to drinking.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

They wouldn't have any self control which will most likely lead to them making the wrong choices.

Subtopic 1: Why do teenagers drive under the influence?

Teens believe that driving under the influence of drugs is a lot safer than alcohol. (In my opinion this is not true at all because since they are under the influence they think they are driving good but in reality they are just risking their own life and the life of others.)

Subtopic 2: How many teenagers die from drugs and alcohol?

In 2020 there was about 546 deaths. That number increased to 721 in 2022 and it slightly decreased to 708 in 2023.

Subtopic 3: Does having a drinking law make teens want to break the law?

Laws have the unintended consequence of encouraging underage college students to “secretly” chug hard alcohol in dorm rooms rather than access alcohol openly and safely in a controlled environment.

Your opinion

In my opinion I believe that they shouldn't lower the age needed to legally smoke and drink because if they do teens wouldn't have any type of self control. It can also lead to more deaths. Teens that aren't fully self aware of consuming alcohol and drugs can affect them in many type of ways. One way it can affect them is by becoming an addict with alcohol and drugs. It can also affect them mentally and have health problems.

Write 3 discussion questions for the class.

1 Can teenagers be influenced by others to consume alcohol and drugs?

2 How can the law protect teens from drinking and using of drugs?

3 How does the legal status impact the potential risk and consequences for teenagers who consume drugs and alcohol?

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