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

The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Morbidity in the United States

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The Impact of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Alcohol‐Related Chronic Disease Mortality

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Impacts of New Zealand's Lowered Minimum Purchase Age on Context‐Specific Drinking and Related Risks

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Long-Term Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Marijuana and Other Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood

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Effects of Lowering the Minimum Alcohol Purchasing Age on Weekend Assaults Resulting in Hospitalization in New Zealand

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  1. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Morbidity in the United States
    Carpenter C, Dobkin C. Review of Economics and Statistics. 99(1), 95-104.
    Date: 2017
  2. The Impact of Drinking Age Laws on Perpetration of Sexual Assault Crimes in Canada, 2009–2013
    Gatley JMMPH, Sanches MMS, Benny C, Wells SPD, Callaghan RCPD. Journal of Adolescent Health. 61(1), 24-31.
    Date: 2017
  3. Increased Minimum Legal Age for the Sale of Alcohol in the Netherlands as of 2014: The Effect on Alcohol Sellers’ Compliance After One and Two Years
    Schelleman-Offermans K, Roodbeen RTJ, Lemmens PHHM. International Journal of Drug Policy. 49, 8-14.
    Date: 2017
  4. Do Drinking-Age Laws Have an Impact on Crime? Evidence from Canada, 2009–2013
    Callaghan RC, Gatley JM, Sanches M, Benny C. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 167, 67-74.
    Date: 2016
  5. The Mechanisms of Alcohol Control
    Carpenter CS, Dobkin C, Warman C. Journal of Human Resources. 51(2), 328-356.
    Date: 2016
  6. Breaking the Link Between Legal Access to Alcohol and Motor Vehicle Accidents: Evidence from New South Wales
    Lindo JM, Siminski P, Yerokhin O. Health Economics. 25(7), 908-928.
    Date: 2016
  7. The Impact of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Alcohol‐Related Chronic Disease Mortality
    Plunk AD, Krauss MJ, Syed-Mohammed H, Hur M, Cavzos-Rehg PA, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 40(8), 1761-1768.
    Date: 2016
  8. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Crime
    Carpenter C, Dobkin C. Review of Economics and Statistics. 97(2), 521-524.
    Date: 2015
  9. Impacts of New Zealand's Lowered Minimum Purchase Age on Context‐Specific Drinking and Related Risks
    Gruenewald PJ, Treno AJ, Ponicki WR, Huckle T, Yeh LC, Casswell S. Addiction. 110(11), 1757-1766.
    Date: 2015
  10. The Effects of Random Breath Testing and Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Traffic Fatalities in Australian States
    Jiang H, Livingston M, Manton E. Injury Prevention: Journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention. 21(2), 77-83.
    Date: 2015
  11. Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Alcohol and Marijuana Use: Evidence from Toxicological Testing Data for Fatally Injured Drivers Aged 16 to 25 Years
    Keyes KM, Brady JE, Li G. Injury Epidemiology. 2(1), 1-10.
    Date: 2015
  12. Long-Term Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Marijuana and Other Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood
    Krauss MJ, Cavazos-Rehg PA, Agrawal A, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 149, 173-179.
    Date: 2015
  13. Effects of Lowering the Alcohol Minimum Purchasing Age on Weekend Hospitalized Assaults of Young Māori in New Zealand
    Kypri K, Davie G, McElduff P, Langley J, Connor J. Drug and Alcohol Review. 34(3), 299-303.
    Date: 2015
  14. Did the 18 Drinking Age Promote High School Dropout? Implications for Current Policy
    Plunk AD, Agrawal A, Tate WF, Cavazos-Rehg P, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 76(5), 680-689.
    Date: 2015
  15. Impacts of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Motor Vehicle Collisions in Québec, 2000−2012
    Callaghan RCP, Gatley JMB, Sanches MM, Asbridge MP. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 47(6), 788-795.
    Date: 2014
  16. Long-Term Impact on Alcohol-Involved Crashes of Lowering the Minimum Purchase Age in New Zealand
    Huckle T, Parker K. American Journal of Public Health. 104(6), 1087-1091.
    Date: 2014
  17. Effects of Lowering the Minimum Alcohol Purchasing Age on Weekend Assaults Resulting in Hospitalization in New Zealand
    Kypri K, Davie G, McElduff P, Connor J, Langley J. American Journal of Public Health. 104(8), 1396-1401.
    Date: 2014
  18. Public, Official, and Industry Submissions on a Bill to Increase the Alcohol Minimum Purchasing Age: A Critical Analysis
    Kypri K, Wolfenden L, Hutchesson M, Langley J, Voas R. International Journal of Drug Policy. 25(4), 709-716.
    Date: 2014
  19. State Panel Estimates of the Effects of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Alcohol Consumption, 1950-2002
    Subbaraman MS, Kerr WC. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 37(Suppl. 1), E291-E296.
    Date: 2013 (archived)
  20. The Legacy of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Law Changes: Long-Term Effects on Suicide and Homicide Deaths Among Women
    Grucza RA, Hipp PR, Norberg KE, Rundell L, Evanoff A, Cavazos-Rehg P, Bierut LJ. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 36(2), 377-384.
    Date: 2012 (archived)
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