Underage Drinking

Did you know that the percentage of underage drinking in Canada is at a all time high of 75.1%. Children from the age 15-18 who drink have a higher chance of date rape, sexual abuse, violence, traffic accidents, impaired driving and alcohol poisoning. Althought less Caucasian High School students drink, more then 12% of white students will admit the drive regularly after drinking. But white students are less likely to drive with a drunk driver then African Canadians. Children who drink before age 15 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at the age of 19. 26% of young male drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2000 were drinking at the time of the crash, compared with 13% of the young female drivers involved in fatal crashes. More than 40% of individuals who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their lives. 4% of all current drinkers are age 13. (Resource: MADD.ca). Underage drinking is at a all time high, what are we going to do?

The age of minority should be highered to 21. I know your thinking "what will that help they'll drink underage either way?". Approaching a 21 year old would be much harder for the majority of teens, they aren't in our schools, they are mature and may consider what they're doing to be illegal. Nineteen year old's are in our schools, friends with our brothers and sisters, around town, our facebook friends, easy to access with little fear of being rejected.

The government change laws to affect everything else that minors do so why is it still so easy for us to obtain alcohol and even cigarettes? The government tax both alcohol and cigarettes very highly so why would they want the sale of them to decrease, we aren't aloud to to drive after 12 until we're were 18 and police take marijuana possession by teenagers very seriously. Could that be because they can't tax either of those things? Just something to think about.

Another reason to make the age of minority age 21 is because at age 19 you are still in high school or in your first year of secondary schooling, were your studies are very important and alcohol could seriously take away from study time. By the time your 21 depending on what your taking you would be nearing finish of schooling. Also 21 year olds should be mature enough to know that there is study time and a time for fun. At are 19 fun is the priority.

I don't see any adults apposing this, even if some do, they are the parents that will by there kids alcohol no matter what the age of minority is. So whats it to them really? The only other person apposing this would be teenagers and really its obvious why we would be against this as a law am I right?

The high rates of teenage drinking need to be lowered, and in my own opinion making the drinking age higher is the only way to solve this.