According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, approximately 4,700 people under twenty-one die each year from injuries involving underage drinking. Illegal alcohol use has been a major problem among high school students across the nation. Lowering the drinking age from twenty-one would have serious consequences for American teenagers. By lowering the drinking age, alcohol would be more accessible to those who choose to participate in underage drinking. The desire to drink in adolescents and young adults between the ages of fourteen and twenty may be caused by peer pressure or an act of rebellion. One beer may not seem like a big deal at the time, but it could lead to a life of addiction and alcoholism. Lowering the legal drinking age would create problems such as violating the mental and physical development of the young drinker. As one respected author, Matt Nagin, states: “The late teens and early twenties are formative years in which character building, leadership in the community, and academic excellence should be emphasized. Alcohol diminishes all of that.” In other words, Nagin believes that the teenage years are a critical time of growth in a person's life. Scientists have proven that the brain is not fully developed until the age of twenty-five. If Nagin's argument is correct, and I believe it is, then people should understand that scientists have demonstrated the negative effects that alcohol has on brain development. Alcohol has the power to kill brain cells and damage growth hormones. By making alcohol legally accessible to an 18-year-old, we are literally poisoning their brain. 18 year olds are not responsible enough to handle the freedom of being able to drink legally. S......middle of paper......country. By lowering the legal drinking age, we are just making alcohol more accessible. Lowering the drinking age would make alcohol available to a lower demographic, which would result in horrible outcomes. From stunted brain development to rising alcohol-related deaths, lowering the legal drinking age is an impractical idea. Works Cited Minton, Michelle. “Lower the drinking age for everyone.” National online review. National Review, nd Web. November 24, 2013. Nagin, Matt. “Top 3 Reasons Why the Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered to 18.” PolicyMic. PolicyMic, September 14, 2012. Web. November 24, 2013. “Negative Consequences of Underage Drinking.” Negative consequences of underage alcohol consumption. U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, Web. November 24, 2013.Roano, Shari. "Storm in a Bottle." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, September 1, 2008. Web. November 24. 2013.