Utah should keep the alcohol content of beer sold outside state liquor stores at 3.2 percent. This will help lower underage drinking because beer may not be readily available in stores. Once Utah is one of the two states with the lower content, major brewing companies could stop producing beer with the 3.2 percent. Thus, making beer only sold in state liquor stores.

There are major negative health factors with drinking alcohol content higher than 3.2 percent. This includes overconsumption: if alcohol is readily available, adults will drink a whole pack of beer whether it’s 3.2 percent or 4.8 percent. However, the lower beer will help stave off short-term risks, including injury, violence and accidental death and long-term risks such as cancer, brain damage and memory loss. A higher alcohol content will make it harder to stay within Utah’s new blood alcohol content level of 0.05 percent. With the new law, two standard drinks in one hour would put you over the blood alcohol level, upping it would make the rule be cut in half.

Utah’s better off keeping the alcohol content level at 3.2 percent; we will not benefit from upping it. We need to keep it the way it is and help educate teens and adults on how to be responsible when it comes to drinking.