Shippensburg University

Search
Search
News
Multimedia
Sports
Ship Life
Opinion
Subscribe
Entertainment
Send a Tip
Podcasts
Donate

Shippensburg University

°
Full Forecast

Monday, October 20, 2025

The Slate

Subscribe

Print Edition

  • News
  • Opinion
  • Ship Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Multimedia
  • Send a Tip
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Ship Life
  • Multimedia
  • Podcasts
  • Special Issues
  • Send a Tip
  • Donate
Search

Subscribe

 

9/12/2016, 8:30pm

The benefits of turning 18: minus 1

By Sammi Ennico: Asst. Opinion editor
The benefits of turning 18: minus 1

Turning 18 comes with the privileges of being an adult, such as voting and serving in the military, yet something as simple as consuming alcohol is illegal.

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print

Although this can be a controversial topic, currently in the United States, 18-year-olds can pretty much do anything they want when they turn of age except for drinking.

If someone is grown enough to fight at war or help our country decide who should be president, then most people are developed enough to consume alcohol. In most cases, many become irresponsible with their drinking because they do not want anyone to know.

The level of maturity from age 18 to 21 is not much of a significant difference. If the age is lowered to 18, it may actually cause less issues because not so many kids will be drinking illegally and, in turn, trying to sneak it. When kids try to hide they are drinking, the outcomes could be severely negative if no one wants to call for help if someone has had too much, for fear that they will get in trouble.

It is most common for young adults to start drinking the most when they get to college. If it was legal, the number of underages given out would significantly go down and alcohol could be consumed in public places where those under 21 could be monitored.

No matter what the legal age of drinking may be, it will still not prevent all of the problems that can come with it. If you ask me, alcohol tolerance does not come with age, so no matter how old you are, it does not effect how you can handle your personal alcohol intake.

However old the legal drinking age is, everyone is still advised to stay safe and to watch how much they are consuming and how quickly they care consuming it. By lowering the legal age to drink to 18, it will reduce overall the amount of reckless accidents and the number of those who are alcohol abusers. No matter if it is lowered or not, those who are underage will always find a way to drink, so why not make it legal?

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole

Share



Related Stories

Professor Jamonn Campbell was interviewed for Part 2 of The Slate Podcast discussing AI’s effects on professions.

AI and the future of Psychology

By Matthew Scalia

A U.S Coast Guard cutter intercepts a capsized narcotics trafficking boat and recovers cocaine. Courtesy of Nicholas Strasburg, DVIDS

Why is the U.S. Around Venezuela

By Gavin Formenti

The Slate Speaks: How We Deal with Death

By Slate Staff


The Slate welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.


Most Popular


10/6/2025, 9:30pm

SU mourns the loss of Robert Lesman, chair of the Global Languages and Cultures department

By Evan Dillow / News Editor

9/24/2025, 1:08pm

PA Republican leaders attend SU Turning Point memorial for Charlie Kirk


10/8/2025, 1:46pm

The anthropology program at SU draws to a close as Professor Karl Lorenz prepares for retirement


9/29/2025, 2:34pm

Lehman Library evacuated following a string of calls



  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Work For Us
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Ship Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2025 The Slate

Powered by Solutions by The State News.