The legal U.S drinking age is lowered to 18.

Increase in drunk driving accidents

DUI rates raise

More arrests

Higher risk of traffic fataities

Health repercussions

Interferes with a young adult’s brain development

Frontal lobe still developing at age 18

Development process changes

Long term effects

Depression

Memory loss

Reduced decision-making capacity

Risk-taking behavior.

Decision making skills tampered with

Fights

Unsafe sex/unplanned pregnancies

Infant health

Birth control options

Unsafe Environments

Crime

Younger kids will gain access

Students in middle school and high school will have easy access to alcohol

Teenagers who are newly legal drinkers have a high tendency to buy alcohol for their underage friends or peers

Trickle-down effect