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.  

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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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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  1. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Public Health
    Carpenter C, Dobkin C. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 25(2), 133-156.
    Date: 2011 (archived)
  2. Turning 21 and the Associated Changes in Drinking and Driving After Among College Students
    Fromme K, Wetherill RR, Neal DJ. Journal of American College Health. 59(1), 21-27.
    Date: 2011 (archived)
  3. Heavy Episodic Drinking on College Campuses: Does Changing the Legal Drinking Age Make a Difference?
    Rasul JW, Rommel RG, Jacquez GM, Fitzpatrick BG, Ackleh AS, Simonsen N, . Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 72(1), 15-23.
    Date: 2011 (archived)
  4. The Impact of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Alcohol Consumption, Smoking, and Marijuana Use: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design Using Exact Date of Birth
    Yörük BK, Yörük CE. Journal of Health Economics. 30(4), 740-752.
    Date: 2011 (archived)
  5. Alcohol Policy, Social Context, and Infant Health: The Impact of Minimum Legal Drinking Age
    Zhang N, Caine E. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 8(9), 3796-3809.
    Date: 2011 (archived)
  6. The Drinking Age, Alcohol Consumption, and Crime
    Carpenter C, Dobkin C. [Accessed: 2012-07-18. Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/69FtD6Dop]. .
    Date: 2010 (archived)
  7. Community Norms, Enforcement of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws, Personal Beliefs and Underage Drinking: An Explanatory Model
    Lipperman-Kreda S, Grube JW, Paschall MJ. Journal of Community Health. 35(3), 249-257.
    Date: 2010 (archived)
  8. The Fatal Toll of Driving to Drink: The Effect of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Evasion on Traffic Fatalities
    Lovenheim MF, Slemrod J. Journal of Health Economics. 29(1), 62-77.
    Date: 2010 (archived)
  9. The Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws on Alcohol-Related Driving in the United States
    McCartt AT, Hellinga LA, Kirley BB. Journal of Safety Research. 41(2), 173-181.
    Date: 2010 (archived)
  10. Will Increasing Alcohol Availability by Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related Consequences Among Youths?
    Wechsler H, Nelson TF. American Journal of Public Health. 100(6), 986-992.
    Date: 2010 (archived)
  11. The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Mortality: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from the Minimum Drinking Age
    Carpenter C, Dobkin C. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 1(1), 164-182.
    Date: 2009 (archived)
  12. Long-Term Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Adult Alcohol Use and Drinking Fatalities
    Kaestner R, Yarnoff B. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series (No. 15439) [Accessed: 2012-07-26. Archived By Webcite® At Http: //Www.Webcitation.Org/69Rxge249]. .
    Date: 2009 (archived)
  13. Does the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Save Lives?
    Miron JA, Tetelbaum E. Economic Inquiry. 47(2), 317-336.
    Date: 2009 (archived)
  14. Long-Term Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws on Past-Year Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders
    Norberg KE, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 33(12), 2180-2190.
    Date: 2009 (archived)
  15. The Relationship of Underage Drinking Laws to Reductions in Drinking Drivers in Fatal Crashes in the United States
    Fell JC, Fisher DA, Voas RB, Blackman K, Tippetts AS. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 40, 1430-1440.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  16. Old Enough for a Beer?
    Rossow I, Karlsson T, Raitasalo K. Addiction. 103(9), 1468-1473.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  17. Likelihood of Illegal Alcohol Sales at Professional Sport Stadiums
    Toomey TL, Erickson DJ, Lenk KM, Kilian G. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 32(11), 1-6.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  18. Alcohol Outlets, Youth Drinking, and Self-Reported Ease of Access to Alcohol: A Constraints and Opportunities Approach
    Treno AJ, Ponicki WR, Remer LG, Gruenewald PJ. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 32(8), 1372-1379.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  19. Status of 14 Under-Age-21 Drinking Laws in the United States
    Fell JCV, Robert B; Fisher Deborah A. Paper presented at the Traffic Safety and Alcohol Regulation, Irvine, CA. .
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  20. [Editorial] “Drinking is Fun” and “There’s Nothing You Can Do About It”: The Problem with the 21-Year-Old Minimum Drinking Age
    Fennell R. Journal of American College Health. 56(3), 213-215.
    Date: 2007 (archived)
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