WHY 21 ?

• Ever wonder why 21 was chosen as the “Magic Age” to be considered old enough to drink legally?

Two Reasons

• Brain Development• Statistical Evidence

• Just like roller coasters that require you to be a certain height before you can ride SAFELY, you need to be a certain age (a certain level of nervous system development actually) before you can SAFELY drink responsibly.

Brain Development

• There are 2 distinct centers in the brain that deal with conscious actions

• The Limbic System

• The Cerebral Cortex

The Limbic System• One of the oldest parts of the brain (evolutionarily

speaking)• This means it evolved very early in man’s evolution• Needed for survival• Yes/No answers –

no reason involved in decisions

• Only concerned with immediate wants, desires, and needs

The Limbic System

• I want – I take• I’m hungry – I eat• I’m thirsty – I drink• I’m tired – I sleep• I’m bored – I play• I’m Angry – I yell or strike out• I’m sad – I cry

The Limbic System

• The Limbic System controls urges, impulses, and emotions

• Very SELF- centered• Only concerned with immediate wants,

desires, and needs• This system develops in-utero in humans

The Limbic System

• Alcohol inhibits nervous system development• This is why women who consume alcohol during

pregnancy are at a higher risk to deliver babies with brain damage (among other things)

Cerebral Cortex (pre-frontal lobe)

• This area of the brain is the newest (evolutionarily speaking)

• It finishes developing very late in human development (19-21 years)

Cerebral Cortex (pre-frontal lobe)

• Responsible for:– Reflection– Reasoning– Understanding long and short term

consequences– Upper level decision making

• Slowly assumes control over Limbic System impulses

• Allows learning from experiences

Cerebral Cortex (pre-frontal lobe)

• Alcohol use before completion of cerebral cortex development actually inhibits (stops) development of the part of the brain designed to control the urges that can lead to alcohol abuse!

• In other words, drink before your brain is grown, and your brain won’t be able to stop you from abusing alcohol

Statistical Reasons for a LegalDrinking Age of 21

• Behavior of 18 year olds is particularly influential on youths ages 15-17, because young people typically imitate the behavior of those who are slightly older than them rather than those significantly older than them

Statistical Reasons for a LegalDrinking Age of 21

• 98% of all alcoholics treated in the US began drinking before age 21

• 92% began drinking before age 17

• Damaged Pre-frontal lobe maybe?????

Statistical Reasons for a LegalDrinking Age of 21

• State motor vehicle data shows that in states that lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the 1970’s, there was an increase of 25% in traffic accidents and 35% in alcohol related fatalities, for this age group.

Statistical Reasons for a LegalDrinking Age of 21

• Using national data, marijuana and cocaine use by high school age students dropped dramatically when the legal drinking age was raised back to 21

• Between 1979 and 1984 the suicide rate was 9.7% higher among teens who could legally consume alcohol than those who could not.

THE ENDTHE END