Age Restriction

Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws of 21 in the U.S. refer to a minimum age required to purchase alcohol in a state and measures aimed at preventing people under the minimum age from accessing alcohol. MLDA laws have significantly reduced drinking and drinking-related problems among adolescents and young adults, including education drop-out rates, car crashes, crime, injuries, assaults and suicides. There is also evidence that the relaxation of age restrictions contributes to heavier use later in life.  

Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws
Underage and College Alcohol Policies
  1. Secondhand Effects of Student Alcohol Use Reported by Neighbors of Colleges: The Role of Alcohol Outlets
    Wechsler H, Lee JE, Hall J, Wagenaar AC, Lee H. Social Science & Medicine. 55(3), 425-435.
    Date: 2002 (archived)
  2. Impact of Graduated Driver Licensing Restrictions on Crashes Involving Young Drivers in New Zealand
    Begg DJ, Stephenson S, Alsop J, Langley JD. Injury Prevention. 7(4), 292-296.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  3. The Effects of Eliminating Alcohol in a College Stadium: The Folsom Field Beer Ban
    Bormann CA, Stone MH. Journal of American College Health. 50(2), 81-88.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  4. The Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Ages on Teen Childbearing
    Dee TS. Journal of Human Resources. 36(4), 823-838.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  5. Alcohol, Marijuana, and American Youth: The Unintended Consequences of Government Regulation
    DiNardo JL, T. Journal of Health Economics. 20(6), 991-1010.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  6. Alcohol Regulation and Violence on College Campuses
    Grossman M, Markowitz S. Economic Analysis of Substance Use and Abuse: The Experience of Developed Countries and Lessons for Developing Countries (pp. 257-289), Cheltenham, UK. .
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  7. Adolescent Drinking and Alcohol Policy
    Grube JW, Nygaard P. Contemporary Drug Problems. 28(1), 87-132.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  8. The Effect of Enforcement on Merchant Compliance with the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Law
    Scribner R, Cohen D. Journal of Drug Issues. 31(4), 857-866.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  9. Lowered Legal Blood Alcohol Limits for Young Drivers: Effects on Drinking, Driving, and Driving-After-Drinking Behaviors in 30 States
    Wagenaar AC, O’Malley PM, LaFond C. American Journal of Public Health. 91(5), 801-804.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  10. The Relative Importance of Social Versus Commercial Sources in Youth Access to Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs
    Harrison PA, Fulkerson JA, Park E. Preventive Medicine. 31(1), 39-48.
    Date: 2000 (archived)
  11. Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol: Outcomes for a Randomized Community Trial
    Wagenaar AC, Murray DM, Gehan JP, Wolfson M, Forster JL, Toomey TL, Perry CL, Jones-Webb R. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 61(1), 85-94.
    Date: 2000 (archived)
  12. Minimum-Age Drinking Laws and Youth Suicide, 1970-1990
    Birckmayer J, Hemenway D. American Journal of Public Health. 89(9), 1365-1368.
    Date: 1999 (archived)
  13. State Alcohol Policies, Teen Drinking and Traffic Fatalities
    Dee TS. The Journal of Public Economics. 72(2), 289-315.
    Date: 1999 (archived)
  14. Preventing Sales of Alcohol to Minors: Results from a Community Trial
    Grube JW. Addiction. 92 Suppl 2, S251-260.
    Date: 1997 (archived)
  15. Binge Drinking in College: The Impact of Price, Availability, and Alcohol Control Policies
    Chaloupka FJ, Wechsler H. Contemporary Economic Policy. 14(4), p112-124.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  16. Effects of the Increased Minimum Drinking Age Law on Drinking and Driving Behavior Among Adolescents
    Klepp K-I, Schmid LA, Murray DM. Addiction Research. 4(3), 237-244.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  17. Evaluating the Effects of a Community Coalition’s Efforts to Reduce Illegal Sales of Alcohol and Tobacco Products to Minors
    Lewis RK, Paine-Andrews A, Fawcett SB, Francisco VT, Richter KP, Copple B, . Journal of Community Health. 21(6), 429-436.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  18. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age: History, Effectiveness, and Ongoing Debate
    Toomey TL, Rosenfeld C, Wagenaar A. Alcohol Health & Research World. 20, 213-218.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  19. Characteristics, Policies and Practices of Alcohol Outlets and Sales to Underage Persons
    Wolfson M, Toomey TL, Forster JL, Wagenaar AC, McGovern PG, Perry CL. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 57(6), 670-674.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  20. Alcohol Outlet Policies and Practices Concerning Sales to Underage People
    Wolfson M, Toomey TL, Murray DM, Forster JL, Short BJ, Wagenaar AC. Addiction. 91(4), 589-602.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
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