"Legal at 21"

Alcoholic drinking has been a major problem affecting millions of people, especially youths all over the world. Alcohol drinking may not only affect them but also their families both physically and emotionally. It is a fact that alcoholic drinking has destroyed many families and caused unwanted deaths. Therefore, I agree that drinking alcoholic beverages in Belize should be raised from eighteen to twenty-one years because of the countless dangers it has caused and the many that can be prevented from happening such as accidents, addiction and life threatening diseases. 

First of all, accidents are one of the most common things caused by alcoholic drinking.  There’s a saying that says,” Don’t drink and drive” but it is totally ignored although the consequences are more that clear. The person may end up crashing and hurting himself along with others, this will hurt him or her physically and emotionally.

Secondly, addiction of alcohol does not only slow down your brain but destroys you as a person. It causes you to think differently and changes a person’s behavior and attitude, therefore creating a very deceiving image. Addiction to alcohol may also affect the person in their education if attending school or at their job environments.

Last but certainly not one of the least of problems created by heavy drinking is very unpleasant diseases such as Cirrhosis which shortens your life span. Cirrhosis is a disease in the liver and can lead to death. The more alcohol you consume the more chances you have at getting not only Cirrhosis but also other diseases such as cancer. 

In conclusion, many alcoholics take drinking as an excuse for a variety of reasons such as escaping from their problems so as to forget their troubles, helping them in having a good time and not feel stressed out, peer pressure, and think its “cool.” In the end all of these excuses are not worth it as it only helps to destroy you. That’s why I strongly believe that the legal age for drinking in Belize should twenty-one.