Should the Drinking Age be lowered to 18

Since you did not post any rules for this debate I will jump right in. To begin with the statement: "legally considered to be adults and are considered mature enough to vote, smoke, be prosecuted as an adult and even become eligible for enlistment in the military. If an 18 year old is mature enough to make choices that are potentially life threatening, as well as responsible enough to vote and even in some cases to hold an elected office, then why shouldn't adults be allowed to purchase and consume alcohol." 1. But when you turn 18 you don't get everything "unlocked". "Many rights in the United States are conferred on citizens at age 21 or older. A person cannot legally purchase a handgun, gamble in a casino (in most states), or adopt a child until age 21, rent a car (for most companies) at age 25, or run for President until age 35. Drinking should be similarly restricted due to the responsibility required to self and others.(1)" Many of the list given when turn 18 are about how they are a danger and risk to yourself but lowering the drinking age is not a risk just to yourself, it is a risk to anyone on the road when you drink and drive. Now yes it is possible that SOME will not drink and drive,but it is impossible that all will not which brings me to my next point. 2. "100 of the 102 analyses (98%) in a 2002 meta-study of the legal drinking age and traffic accidents found higher legal drinking ages associated with lower rates of traffic accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that MLDA 21 decreased the number of fatal traffic accidents for 18- to 20-year-olds by 13% and saved approximately 27,052 lives from 1975-2008.(1)" "Alcohol consumption can interfere with development of the young adult brain's frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. When alcohol consumption interferes with this early adult brain development, the potential for chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide is greater.(1)" "" Harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.5 million people annually, causes illness and injury to millions more, and increasingly affects younger generations and drinkers in developing countries. " Nearly 4% of all deaths are related to alcohol. Most alcohol-related deaths are caused by alcohol result from injuries, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis. " 6.2% of male deaths are related to alcohol, compared to 1.1% of female deaths. " 320 000 young people aged 15-29 years die annually, from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.(2)" Now that is just mind boggling "320,000 young people aged 15-29 years die annually" Imagine that number if drinking could be not only easier but legal for 18 year olds still possibly in high school to buy it and possibly distribute. Now this is just a intro into how damaging and bad lowering the age limit could be not only for the person themselves, but also their families, the victims family, and anyone on the road you could possibly injure or kill. In the following rounds I will continue to build my case for how damaging lowering the drinking age can be. Thank you very much for hosting this debate and I look forward to debating this. (1)-http://drinkingage.procon.org... (2)-https://ncadd.org...