At the age of eighteen, you are considered a legal adult and receive all the responsibilities that come with the title. At the age of eighteen, you are given and expected to exercise the rights and responsibilities to vote, serve on juries, marry, sign contracts, join the military - which includes assuming life responsibilities and of death - and being prosecuted as adults in court, among other things. In 1984, the national government raised the minimum drinking age from 18 to 21. Mothers Against Drunk Driving was a key organization instrumental in changing the minimum drinking age. Although there are arguments for both sides, it is said that if the national minimum legal drinking age was lowered to eighteen, many lives would be saved, colleges would have better retention as well as a better rate of high school graduates, and this could repeal. or change a counterproductive law. The minimum legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen and those who wish to drink should be required to take courses to obtain a drinking license after satisfactorily completing the course. In 1984, the national government raised the legal drinking age. from eighteen to twenty-one in an effort to reduce the number of deaths due to drunk driving. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act mandated this change by informing states that if they did not comply, they would face a reduction in highway funds under the Federal Alcohol Act. help. After the law was ratified, the number of road deaths among 18-20 year olds fell by 13 percent. If the minimum legal drinking age were to be changed to eighteen year olds, the United States could see a n...... middle of paper ......l_age_21/> .Parker, Jennifer. "Group sparks debate over legal drinking age - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. October 9, 2007. The web. February 22, 2011. .Richburg, Keith B. “European Laws Focus on Driving, Not Drinking” (washingtonpost.com). » Washington Post - Political, national, world and DC area news and headlines - Washingtonpost.com. December 30, 2004. Web. February 24, 2011. .Stahl, Lesley. "The Debate Over Lowering the Drinking Age - 60 Minutes - CBS News." Latest News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. February 22, 2009. Web. February 22. 2011. .