IntroductionFor many years, underage drinking in America has been a highly controversial topic. However, due to the numerous discrepancies that some U.S. state representatives have added to federal juvenile law, this topic is unlikely to be resolved or disappear, anytime soon. Supporters argue: “The current under-21 drinking law has not stopped teenagers from drinking, and has instead pushed excessive underage drinking into private, less supervised settings , leading to more health- and life-threatening behaviors among adolescents” (ProCon, 2012, para. 2). Therefore, the minimum legal drinking age for teenagers should be lowered from 21, to 18. On the other hand, "Opponents of lowering the MLDA argue that teenagers have not yet reached an age where can handle alcohol responsibly, and therefore are more likely to harm or even kill themselves and others by drinking before age 21” (ProCon, 2012, para. 3). Therefore, the MLDA should not be lowered to 18, but should instead remain at 21, because adolescents are not responsible and mature enough at 18 to handle the mental and physical effects of alcohol. Issue: Should the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) for teenagers be lowered from 21 to 18 in the United States? For starters, it's very understandable why advocates argue that teenagers should be allowed to drink legally at age 18, rather than waiting until age 21. After all, at 18, teenagers can legally: (1) enlist and serve in the military and run the risk of being maimed and/or killed; (2) Having sexual intercourse with other consenting adults over the age of 18; (3) Buying and smoking tobacco products, which can ultimately lead to heart and lung disease; (4) Getting married without parental consent, which involves making life and family decisions with a spouse...... middle of paper ......//www.chooseresonsibility.org/frequently_asked_http:// www.chooseresponsibility.or g/frequently_asked_questions/#exceptionHall, J. (1998, February). Factsheet: Lowering the minimum drinking age is a bad idea. Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.cspinet.org/booze/mlpafact.htmProCon.org. (2011, October 24). National Institutes of Health (NIH). DrinkingAge.ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.source.php?sourceID=11116Underage drinking. (2011, March 11). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved March 23, 2012, from http://www.drinkingage.procon.org./vie.source.php?sourceID-011116Zoroya, G. (2012, March 14). Army delays confidential alcohol counseling program. USA TODAY. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-02-23/army-alcohol-abuse-confidential-counseling/53517762/1