At the age of 18, people are considered adults in almost every legal and cultural aspect EXCEPT when it comes to the right to drink. Eighteen year-olds in America can purchase and smoke cigarettes, enlist in the army, vote for government officials, and even serve on a jury. Many of these rights obtained at 18 could have repercussions just as bad, if not worse, than drinking alcohol.
Although drunk driving has long been a serious issue among teenagers, this problem could be severely reduced by enacting harsher penalties (i.e. longer prison sentences, restrictions on the time periods in which alcohol can be purchased) on those arrested for D.U.I.s .



