# FILE NAME: 00001670.soc
# TITLE: Would reducing the drinking age to 16 increase alcohol-related deaths? [8551324d3fe0058a169eeec68ce50dae]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 3
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Yes, reducing the drinking age to 16 would increase alcohol-related deaths. The current law is 18 years old but reducing it to 16 could have a major affect on alcohol related deaths. Alcohol would be more accessible to teenagers and if drinking out of home they might drink excessively. Alcohol makes people feel invincible and they can take risks such as drink driving which can lead to fatality. Studies have shown that the more a person drinks, the more at risk they are of getting liver disease and that young people are three times more likely than older drinkers to get drunk with the risks of becoming extremely ill or dying as a result of alcohol abuse. Alcohol can affect the lungs and heart. Binge drinking may also give teenagers an impression that this is how to drink when they grow up and that when they do they will fall for it. This can harm their livers before they turn 18.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - Yes, reducing the drinking age to 16 would increase alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that teenagers are more likely to binge drink, and that this could lead to increased alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that teenagers are more likely to be irresponsible when drinking and are more likely to take actions (e.g. drink driving) which can cause alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that there is unlikely to be any benefit in reducing the drinking age as it would then allow more people to be inebriated and more likely to cause alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that the lack of parental barriers is an important issue, and that teenagers are more likely to binge drink, and that this could lead to increased alcohol-related deaths.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Yes, reducing the drinking age to 16 would increase alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that teenagers are more likely to binge drink, and that this could lead to increased alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that teenagers are more likely to be irresponsible when drinking and are more likely to take actions (e.g. drink driving) which can cause alcohol-related deaths. The participants felt that there is unlikely to be any benefit in reducing the drinking age as it would then allow more people to be inebriated and more likely to cause alcohol-related deaths. A non-intervention group of participants was tasked with coming up with a consensus opinion on an important question. Below is presented the question, the opinions of each individual participant, the first draft of a consensus statement, the critiques of the draft consensus statement by the participants, and the final consensus statement reached after much deliberation.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - 
2: 3,1,2,4
2: 1,3,2,4
1: 1,2,3,4