Should the minimum legal drinking age of 21 be lowered to age 18? After the legal voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971, 30 American states ended up lowering their MLDA to 18, 19, or 20. When states began implementing minimum legal drinking ages, they saved approximately 20,000 lives. They have also decreased the number of alcohol-related youth driver deaths by 63 percent since 1982. In 1982, only 14 US states had an MLDA of 21. In 1984, all of the states that had recently lowered their MLDA from 21 had all increased their MLDA back to 21. In 47 out of 50 states, 18 is the "age of majority," but the legal minimum age for drinking alcohol is still 21. The minimum legal age for drinking alcohol should remain at age 21 and not be less than 21. lowered to 18 for medical reasons and could help prevent road accidents from occurring. Drinking under the age of 21 should not be allowed for medical reasons. “The brain can be severely damaged by alcohol, especially if it is not fully developed” (BigJohny). When you drink before the age of 21, you will get these long-term consequences. The long-term consequences that could result from drinking under 21 are brain malfunction and brain death. Every time you drink you lose brain cells, without your brain being fully developed you will stop the growth of your brain cells by killing others. In reality the brain is never fully developed until the age of 21. “Research has indicated that the brain continues to develop until age 21 and that young brains can be irreversibly damaged by alcohol” (BigJohny). When you are under 21 and decide to drink, the growth process of your brain could......middle of paper......would also be good for the State.The MLDA changed between the ages of 21 and 18 over the years, but currently that's the age he should stay at, 21. People should be able to learn that underage drinking can be harmful to anyone. If the MLDA doesn't stop at 21, there could be many more traffic accidents and deaths due to it. More people should know the effects of what underage drinking can do to people because if they knew what kind of harm underage drinking could cause, they would no longer want to drink under the age of 21. This world will be a much safer place if people understand that the consequences of drinking are harsh. If everyone were able to follow the MLDA rules, there would be far fewer deaths each year. Everyone should realize that underage drinking is horrible for people and they should be taught not to drink until the age of 21.