Legal drinking age in the United States

Last updated

The legal drinking age varies from country to country. [1] In the United States, the legal drinking age is currently 21. [2] To curb excessive alcohol consumption by younger people, instead of raising the drinking age, other countries have raised the prices of alcohol beverages and encouraged the general public to drink less. Setting a legal drinking age of 21 is designed to discourage reckless alcohol consumption by youth, limiting consumption to those who are more mature, who can be expected to make reasonable and wise decisions when it comes to drinking. [3]

Contents

History behind alcohol consumption

Fermented alcoholic beverages contain ethanol (C2H5OH), a consumable member of the alcohol class of chemical compounds, often simply called "alcohol." These beverages are legal in most countries. [4]

The US, along with only a handful of other countries, maintains the highest drinking age worldwide at 21 (known as the Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21, or MLDA-21). [5] In 1984, the United States Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (NMDAA), which penalized any state that allowed persons under the age of 21 to purchase alcoholic beverages by reducing that state's annual federal highway apportionment. In 1985, South Dakota challenged the NMDAA, but in 1987, the Supreme Court ruled the Act was constitutional for the purchase of alcoholic beverages. The Court indicated that the states still had the right to set their own drinking ages; if this action is taken, the federal government can assess a 10% penalty on highway funds for states that choose to set their drinking age lower than 21. Less than a year after the Supreme Court ruling, all 50 states in the United States officially made 21 the minimum legal drinking age. [2] Motor vehicle accidents decreased after the legal drinking age was raised, [2] but the MLDA-21 is not the only variable that can be identified as a reason for the declining accident rate. The shift in demographics, increased enforcement, increased seat belt use, safer cars, increased parental monitoring, and "designated driver" emphasis are also factors that are likely to have played a part in lowering the vehicle accident rate in the U.S.

Epidemiology

Current Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20 in the United States. Source: SAMHSA 2002-2013 Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20, by Age - United States.png
Current Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20 in the United States.
Source: SAMHSA

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more so than tobacco and illicit drugs. Although the purchase of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12–20 years old consume 11% of all alcohol consumed in the US. [7] Among the 14 million adults aged 21 or older who were classified as having alcohol dependence or abuse in the past year, more than 13 million had started using alcohol before age 21. [8] Since 1984, when the National Minimum Drinking Age Act made the minimum legal drinking age for every state in the nation 21, there has been a steady increase in the prevalence of alcohol use, heavy use, and frequent use among underage drinkers as the age increases. Across all ages, the highest rates of alcohol abuse occur among persons 19 years old due to illegality of their behavior, and peak alcohol dependence occurs at age 22. [9]

In 2013, more than two-thirds of American students had consumed alcohol by the end of high school; and more than half of 12th graders had been drunk at least once in their lifetime. [10]

Socioeconomic effects

The US economy loses hundreds of billions of dollars from lost productivity and earnings, with alcohol-related illness being a primary factor. [11] The most dangerous social problem involved in underage drinking is driving under the influence because of its contribution to fatalities and injuries among adolescents. One-third of all car accidents among adolescents have to do with alcohol consumption. [12] Some states have lower alcohol taxes and even made alcohol available to be purchased tax-free at state-owned stores to compete with Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts. [13] Teen drinking in high school is down 23% since 1983, when the minimum legal drinking age was enacted, and binge drinking is down 17%. [14] Alcohol can cause problems throughout life, it is not only young adults that are affected, people into their sixties struggle with alcoholism. [15] The movement of young adults from high school to college shows that 44% of college students were binge drinkers and that binge drinking peaked at age 21. [16] Approximately three quarters of college students aged 18–20 years old drank alcohol in 2009. [17] Within the U.S., youth are being targeted by social media in order to drive sales higher by highlighting alcohol consumption in a positive way. 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. [18]

Psychological effects

The liver is the organ that is most affected by alcohol. The brain is also affected, however, and can be damaged, leading to the drinker's behavioral changes and emotional distress. Three noticeable effects of alcohol injury to the brain are memory loss, confusion, and augmentation. [19] An adult is legally considered to be over the age of 18, has the right to vote, contractual capacity, and financial responsibility. [20] By age 15, adolescents are as capable as adults at logically assessing the likelihood of risk due to their development of emotional and behavioral self-regulation by this age. [20] Studies on adolescent sensitivity to alcohol showed that there were few gross behavioral changes between children (10–15) after they were given a dose of alcohol that would cause intoxication in adults. [21] Good parental communication and high levels of parental nurture can lead to lower levels of alcohol abuse in adolescents. [21]

Physiological effects

Alcohol abuse can lead to many problems, including increased chances of developing certain cardiovascular conditions, a depressant effect resulting in decreased attention and slow reaction speeds, loss of control of actions, mood changes, addiction, brain deterioration, and pregnancy issues. [22] [23] [24] [25] Alcohol increases the flow of insulin, which speeds up glucose metabolism and results in low blood sugar. This could be fatal for diabetics. [26] Peak blood alcohol concentrations are reached in an average time of 0.75 to 1.35 hours depending on dose and last time of meal. [27] Several factors affect a person's intoxication rate, including absorption rate factors such as food intake and drink strength, distribution factors, such as body fat, type, and weight, and elimination factors such as rate of consumption, tolerance, and gender differences. [19] [28]

Views

There are multiple views on the drinking age and how it should be handled. Most people argue one of three views, whether it should stay at 21, lower to 18, or raise to 25. [29] [ failed verification ] Some people, such as sociology professor David Hanson, suggest lowering it. Underage drinking is already common, but NHTSA spokeswoman Evelyn Avant believes that lowering the drinking age would lead to even more alcohol use among young people. [30] Many people say they would not mind the high drinking age as long as the enlistment age was also 21. There are also some who believe the age should stay the same for hard liquor while being lowered for wine and beer.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoholism</span> Problematic excessive alcohol consumption

Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated there were 283 million people with alcohol use disorders worldwide as of 2016. The term alcoholism was first coined in 1852, but alcoholism and alcoholic are stigmatizing and discourage seeking treatment, so clinical diagnostic terms such as alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence are used instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol abuse</span> Substance abuse of alcoholic beverages

Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of alcohol-related substance abuse, ranging from the consumption of more than 2 drinks per day on average for men, or more than 1 drink per day on average for women, to binge drinking or alcohol use disorder.

The health effects of long-term alcohol consumption on health vary depending on the amount of ethanol consumed. Even light drinking poses health risks, but small amounts of alcohol may also have health benefits. Chronic heavy drinking causes severe health consequences which outweigh any potential benefits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drinking culture</span> Aspect of human behavior

Drinking culture is the set of traditions and social behaviors that surround the consumption of alcoholic beverages as a recreational drug and social lubricant. Although alcoholic beverages and social attitudes toward drinking vary around the world, nearly every civilization has independently discovered the processes of brewing beer, fermenting wine and distilling spirits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legal drinking age</span> Minimum age at which a person can legally purchase or consume alcoholic beverages

The legal drinking age is the minimum age at which a person can legally consume alcoholic beverages. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different from the age when it can be purchased in some countries. These laws vary between countries and many laws have exemptions or special circumstances. Most laws apply only to drinking alcohol in public places with alcohol consumption in the home being mostly unregulated. Some countries also have different age limits for different types of alcohol drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Minimum Drinking Age Act</span> 1984 U.S. law which indirectly raised the nationwide minimum drinking age to 21

The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 was passed by the United States Congress and was later signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on July 17, 1984. The act would punish any state that allowed persons under 21 years to purchase alcoholic beverages by reducing its annual federal highway apportionment by 10 percent. The law was later amended, lowering the penalty to 8 percent from fiscal year 2012 and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol advertising</span> Promotion of alcoholic beverages

Alcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with nicotine advertising, alcohol advertising is one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing. Some or all forms of alcohol advertising are banned in some countries. There have been some important studies about alcohol advertising published, such as J.P. Nelson's in 2000.

Alcohol education is the practice of disseminating disinformation about the effects of alcohol on health, as well as society and the family unit. It was introduced into the public schools by temperance organizations such as the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in the late 19th century. Initially, alcohol education focused on how the consumption of alcoholic beverages affected society, as well as the family unit. In the 1930s, this came to also incorporate education pertaining to alcohol's effects on health. For example, even light and moderate alcohol consumption increases cancer risk in individuals. Organizations such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States were founded to promulgate alcohol education alongside those of the temperance movement, such as the American Council on Alcohol Problems.

Alcohol has a number of effects on health. Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include intoxication and dehydration. Long-term effects of alcohol include changes in the metabolism of the liver and brain, several types of cancer and alcohol use disorder. Alcohol intoxication affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. Alcohol consumption can cause hypoglycemia in diabetics on certain medications, such as insulin or sulfonylurea, by blocking gluconeogenesis. There is an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder for teenagers while their brain is still developing. Adolescents who drink have a higher probability of injury including death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol consumption by youth in the United States</span> Alcohol consumption by individuals under the age of 18 in the country

Although the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21 in all U.S. states and most territories, the legal details for consumption vary greatly. Although some states completely ban alcohol usage for people under 18, the majority have exceptions that permit consumption.

The impact of alcohol on aging is multifaceted. Evidence shows that alcoholism or chronic alcohol consumption can cause both accelerated (or premature) aging – in which symptoms of aging appear earlier than normal – and exaggerated aging, in which the symptoms appear at the appropriate time but in a more exaggerated form. The effects of alcohol use disorder on the aging process include hypertension, cardiac dysrhythmia, cancers, gastrointestinal disorders, neurocognitive deficits, bone loss, and emotional disturbances especially depression. On the other hand, research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease. The American Heart Association cautions people not to start drinking, if you are not already drinking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoholism in family systems</span> Social and psychological factors that cause alcoholism in families

Alcoholism in family systems refers to the conditions in families that enable alcoholism and the effects of alcoholic behavior by one or more family members on the rest of the family. Mental health professionals are increasingly considering alcoholism and addiction as diseases that flourish in and are enabled by family systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binge drinking</span> Form of excessive alcohol intake

Binge drinking, or heavy episodic drinking, is drinking alcoholic beverages with an intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time, but definitions vary considerably.

Alcohol consumption in Russia remains among the highest in the world. According to a 2011 report by the World Health Organization, annual per capita consumption of alcohol in Russia was about 15.76 litres of pure alcohol, the fourth-highest volume in Europe. It dropped to 11.7 litres in 2016, dropping further to about 10.5 litres in 2019. Another general trait of Russian alcohol consumption pattern was the high volume of spirits compared with other alcoholic drinks.

Binge drinking is the practice of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Due to the idiosyncrasies of the human body, the exact amount of alcohol that would constitute binge drinking differs among individuals. The definitions of binge drinking are also nuanced across cultures and population subgroups. For example, many studies use gender-specific measures of binge drinking. The epidemiology of binge drinking likewise differs across cultures and population subgroups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol and Native Americans</span> Use of alcoholic beverages by Native Americans

Many Native Americans in the United States have been harmed by, or become addicted to, drinking alcohol. Among contemporary Native Americans and Alaska Natives, 11.7% of all deaths are related to alcohol. By comparison, about 5.9% of global deaths are attributable to alcohol consumption. Because of negative stereotypes and biases based on race and social class, generalizations and myths abound around the topic of Native American alcohol misuse.

Alcohol is a liquid form substance which contains ethyl alcohol that can cause harm and even damage to a person's DNA. "Alcohol consumption is recognized worldwide as a leading risk factor for disease, disability, and death" and is rated as the most used substance by adolescences. Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological changes, usually a time in a person life in which they go through puberty. Combining these transitional stages and the intake of alcohol can leave a number of consequences for an adolescent.

Richard Grucza is an American epidemiologist and professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Alcoholism in Ireland is a significant public health problem. In Ireland, 70.0% of Irish men and 34.1% of Irish women aged 15+ are considered to be hazardous drinkers. In the same age group, there are over one hundred and fifty thousand Irish people who are classified as 'dependent drinkers'. According to Eurostat, 24% of Ireland's population engages in heavy episodic drinking at least once a month, compared to the European average of 19%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol use among college students</span> Unhealthy alcohol drinking behaviors by college students

Many students attending colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions consume alcoholic beverages. The laws and social culture around this practice vary by country and institution type, and within an institution, some students may drink heavily whereas others may not drink at all. In the United States, drinking tends to be particularly associated with fraternities.

References

  1. ↑ Howard, Jaqueline. "The countries where drinking is banned until 25 – or allowed at 13". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Searles, J. S..The Minimum Legal Drinking Age: A Data-Based Perspective. Vermont Department of Health. "Source 4 Archived 17 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine ", February 8, 2011
  3. ↑ Lovenheim, Michael F.; Slemrod, Joel (January 1, 2010). "The fatal toll of driving to drink: The effect of minimum legal drinking age evasion on traffic fatalities". Journal of Health Economics. 29 (1): 62–77. doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2009.10.001. PMID   19945186.
  4. ↑ Boffeta, Paolo, and Garfinkel, Lawrence. "Alcohol drinking and mortality among men enrolled in an American Cancer Society prospective study" Epidemiology 1990; 1, 342-348. "[Source 21]"
  5. ↑ Minimum Legal Age Limits. International Alliance for Responsible drinking. "Source10 Archived 4 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine ", June 23, 2016
  6. ↑ "Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings" (PDF). United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration . United States Department of Health and Human Services . Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ Alcohol and Public Health. (July 10, 2010). "Source 15", March 14, 2011
  8. ↑ Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. (2004). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report. "[Source 16]"
  9. ↑ Flewelling, RL., Paschall, MJ., & Ringwalt, C. (2004). The epidemiology of underage drinking in the united states: an overview. National Academy of Sciences, "Source 1" March 24, 2011
  10. ↑ Johnston, Lloyd D.; O'Malley, Patrick M.; Miech, Richard A.; Bachman, Jerald G.; Schulenberg, John E. (January 2017). Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2016: Overview, Key Findings on Adolescent Drug Use. Institute for Social Research.
  11. ↑ Harwood, H. (2000) Updating Estimates of the Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States: Estimates, Update Methods, and Data. Report prepared by The Lewin Group for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "[Souce 27]"
  12. ↑ Wagenaar, A. C.; Wolfson, M. (1994). "Enforcement of the Legal Minimum Drinking Age in the United States". Journal of Public Health Policy. 15 (1): 37–53. doi:10.2307/3342606. JSTOR   3342606. PMID   8027360. S2CID   20961963.
  13. ↑ Cook, Philip; Moore, Michael (2002). "The Economics of Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Control Policies". Health Affairs. 21 (2): 120–133. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.21.2.120. PMID   11900152.
  14. ↑ 21is the Legal Drinking Age. (2007). We Don't Serve Teens. from "Source 30 Archived 19 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine ", March 24, 2011
  15. ↑ Atkinson, R. M. (1994). "Late onset problem drinking in older adults". International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 9 (4): 321–326. doi:10.1002/gps.930090409. S2CID   146554519.
  16. ↑ Barnes, G. M.; Welte, J. W.; Hoffman, J. H.; Tidwell, M. O. (2010). "Comparisons of Gambling and Alcohol Use Among College Students and Noncollege Young People in the United States". Journal of American College Health. 58 (5): 443–452. doi:10.1080/07448480903540499. PMC   4104810 . PMID   20304756.
  17. ↑ Wechsler, H.; Nelson, T. F. (2010). "Will Increasing Alcohol Availability By Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related Consequences Among Youths?". American Journal of Public Health. 100 (6): 986–992. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.178004. PMC   2866588 . PMID   20395573.
  18. ↑ Charles Atkin; John Hocking & Martin Block (February 2006). "Teenage Drinking: Does Advertising Make a Difference?". Journal of Communication. 34 (2): 157–167. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.1984.tb02167.x.
  19. 1 2 Dunlap, M. P. (n.d.). Biological Impacts Of Alcohol Use: An Overview. "Source 14", March 14, 2011
  20. 1 2 Brown, SA, McGue, M, Maggs, J, Schulenberg, J, & Hingson, R. (2008). Underage alcohol use: summary of developmental processes and mechanisms: ages 16-20. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 32(1). "Source 3", March 14, 2011
  21. 1 2 Windle, M, Spear, LP, Fuligni, AJ, Angold, A, & Brown, JD. (2009). Transitions into underage and problem drinking: summary of developmental processes and mechanisms: ages 10-15. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 32(1). "Source 2", March 20, 2011
  22. ↑ Klatsky, A.L. The epidemiology of alcohol and cardiovascular diseases. The Permanente Journal, 1997, 1, 14-20. "[Source 23]"
  23. ↑ Meyer, Jerold S. and Linda F. Quenzer. Psychopharmacology: Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior. Sinauer Associates, Inc: Sunderland, Massachusetts. 2005. Page 228. "[Source 24]"
  24. ↑ Scribner, R. A.; MacKinnon, D.; Dwyer, J. (1995). "The risk of assaultive violence and alcohol availability in Los Angeles County". American Journal of Public Health. 3 (85): 335–340. doi:10.2105/ajph.85.3.335. PMC   1614881 . PMID   7892915.
  25. ↑ Institute of Medicine (IOM), Stratton, K.R., Howe, C.J., & Battaglia, F.C. (1996). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Prevention, and Treatment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. "[Source 26]"
  26. ↑ Alcohol and Nutrition Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - How Does Alcohol Affect Your Blood Sugar on MedicineNet. "Source 12", March 28, 2011
  27. ↑ Alcohol and the Human Body." Intoximeters Home Page. Web "Source 13", March 26, 2011
  28. ↑ Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center of Virginia Tech University. (1999). Alcohol's Effects. "[Virginia Tech Alcohol Abuse Prevention: www.alcohol.vt.edu]", February 7, 2011
  29. ↑ "The Legal Drinking Age: 18, 21, or 25?". January 22, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  30. ↑ Jacinto, Leela. "Should Drinking Age Stay at 21?". ABC.com. ABC News. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.