Studies have reached unexpected conclusions about the benefits of drinking alcohol regularly. The British Medical Journal has stated the results to a recent study saying that individuals who drink a pint of beer every day have less risk of a heart attack than those who don’t drink at all. Another study by The British Journal of Psychiatry states that the mental decline related to aging slows when one consumes alcohol moderately.
In many cultures, alcoholic beverages have been consumed since recorded history for religious, medicine, or recreational purposes. Traditionally, beer was used by the ancient Babylonians and wine by the Hebrews in religious ceremonies. It is believed the community drank together to progress to a sense of belonging and good neighboring. In medicine, alcohol has been used to relieve pain and to increase the appetite, and in many cultures it is still considered a necessary ingredient for good health and a well balanced meal.
People may also point to past attempts to abolish alcohol from our society, such as prohibition. Instead of ending crime and making our society more civilized, Prohibition lead to organized crime by providing the opportunity for criminals, such as the notorious Al Capone, to become extremely wealthy by selling the illegal drinks. The “experiment” of prohibition was called a failure by many politicians and sociologists.
There are two main approaches that alcohol-opponents have employed in an attempt to end alcohol consumption. Abstinence, or the "just say no" way is the most common. This method assumes that if you tell people that alcohol is unhealthy or immoral, they will not drink it. After the Prohibition experiment this method has proven to be unsuccessful. The second approach involves using statistics on a variety of problems brought up when people drink irresponsibly, such as automobile accidents, crime, and family problems, as a "scare method." For reasons undefined, this method has also been considered ineffective in that it has not proven to steer teenagers or adults away from consuming alcohol.
In comparison to other countries, the United States has the most strict drinking laws, including the highest legal age. In Europe, two different drinking cultures developed. In the Mediterranean regions, wine consumption with meals by all members of the culture evolved. In the more northern and eastern regions of Europe, drinking grain based beverages at feasts became popular. Groups such as Italians, Greeks, Chinese, and Jews, who have few drinking related problems, tend to share some common characteristics. Alcohol is neither seen as a poison or a magic potent, there is little social pressure to drink, irresponsible behavior is never tolerated, young people learn at home from their parents and from other adults how to handle alcohol in a responsible manner, and there is social disagreement on what constitutes responsible drinking. These countries display a low level of alcoholism or alcohol abuse.
After completing this analysis, I reached a conclusion: It is that the problem of alcohol in our society is not who should be drinking it, such as those over 21, but how. Excessive drinking is the cause of the alcohol-related problems in our society. Not moderate drinking. Drinking in responsible moderation is healthful, traditional, and cultural. I will argue that young adults should be allowed to drink in certain environments such as restaurants, taverns, and pubs. In these situations, where mature and sensible alcohol consumption would be expected, responsible alcohol consumption could be taught through role modeling and educational programs. Supporting this is the belief that when underage kids have the opportunity to drink they do so in an irresponsible manner because drinking by these kids is seen as rebellion and a symbol of assumed adulthood. Instead of the prohibition of alcohol consumption, alcohol opposers should focus on supporting moderate and responsible drinking.
