Minimum legal drinking age of 21 saves lives (2024)

FAQs

Does a minimum legal drinking age of 21 saves lives and protects health? ›

Drinking by those under the age 21 is a public health problem. Excessive drinking contributes to about 4,000 deaths among people below the age of 21 in the U.S. each year.

History says no. When states had lower legal drinking ages in the U.S., the underage drinking problem was worse. For example, before the 21 minimum legal drinking age was implemented by all states, underage drunk drivers were involved in over twice as many fatal traffic crashes as today. 3.

Over 27,000 lives have been saved since the 21 and up limit implementation.

1974). With evidence that lower legal drinking ages were associated with more traffic crashes among youth, citizen advocacy groups led a movement to restore the MLDA to 21 in all States (Wolfson 1995). In response, 16 States increased their MLDA's between September 1976 and January 1983 (Wagenaar 1983).

Proponents of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21 argue that it has not stopped teen drinking, and has instead pushed underage binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, leading to more health and life-endangering behavior by teens.

Moreover, given the budget crises that we have faced recently, enfranchising 18-20 year olds with the ability to drink legally may lead to an increase in alcohol consumption, which could boost government tax-revenue. Simultaneously, an age-18 MLDA would also reduce enforcement costs of the 21 year-old MLDA.

By the 1980s, this unusual patchwork of drinking ages started to be seen as a problem, especially by activist organizations like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and RID (Remove Intoxicated Drivers). They lobbied for a 21-year-old minimum legal drinking age, and President Ronald Reagan supported the cause.

Burkina Faso is the country with the youngest drinking age at 13 years. Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa, a population 20.9 million (2020), has an area that expands to roughly 170,255 miles.

Over 700,000 college students annually are assaulted by other students who have been drinking, and upwards of 1,500 college students die annually from alcohol-related accidents. Lowering the MLDA to 18 so young adults can drink moderately in controlled environments will promote safety and responsible habits.

The drinking age was raised back to 21 over federal highway funding. In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act passed, which stated federal highway funds would be withheld from U.S. states that failed to set the minimum legal drinking age back at 21. By 1988, all the states had adopted the age minimum.

Is drinking age 21 federal? ›

The Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act of 1984 sets the minimum legal drinking age to 21 and every State abides by that standard.

The federal government cannot constitutionally mandate a federal minimum drinking age, leaving the door open for states to pass laws to lower the drinking age. However, it can strongarm states to adopt a 21-drinking age by dangling federal funding.

The legal drinking age was set at 21 years of age because studies showed that the leading cause of death among people aged 1 to 34 accounted for one third of deaths due to unintentional injury from alcohol consumption.

Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor. Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota: The legal drinking age is 18 for 3.2% ABV beer, and 21 for beer stronger than 3.2% ABV, wine, and liquor.

In Japan, the legal adult age is 20. Japanese law prohibits individuals under the age of 20 to drink alcohol or smoke. Regardless of age, you must not force anyone to drink or smoke as it may cause serious health and social consequences.

§ 158], requires that States prohibit persons under 21 years of age from purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages as a condition of receiving State highway funds.

The drinking age was raised back to 21 over federal highway funding. In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act passed, which stated federal highway funds would be withheld from U.S. states that failed to set the minimum legal drinking age back at 21.

On the opposing side, some claim that young adults are less likely to consume alcohol responsibly and that alcohol can affect the human brain while it is still developing. For this reason, some advocates of the drinking age limit feel that the U.S. should raise the drinking age even higher — to 25.

Drinking lowers inhibitions and increases the chances that children will engage in risky behavior or do something that they will regret when they are sober.