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. Mystery Shopping and Alcohol Sales: Do Supermarkets and Liquor Stores Sell Alcohol to Underage Customers?
    Gosselt JF, van Hoof JJ, de Jong MD, Prinsen S. The Journal of Adolescent Health. 41(3), 302-308.
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  2. New Zealand Lowers Drinking Age: Case Study
    Kypri K. Paper presented at the Traffic Safety and Alcohol Regulation, Irvine, CA. .
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  3. Minimum Purchase Age Laws: How Effective Are they in Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving?
    McCartt AT, Kirley BB. Paper presented at the Traffic Safety and Alcohol Regulation, Irvine, CA. .
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  4. Joint Impacts of Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Beer Taxes on United States Youth Traffic Fatalities, 1975 to 2001
    Ponicki WR, Gruenewald PJ, LaScala EA. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 31(5), 804-813.
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  5. Minimum Purchasing Age for Alcohol and Traffic Crash Injuries Among 15- to 19-Year-Olds in New Zealand
    Kypri K, Voas RB, Langley JD, Stephenson SCR, Begg DJ, Tippetts AS, Davie GS, . American Journal of Public Health. 96 (1), 126–131.
    Date: 2006 (archived)
  6. Indirect Effects of Lowering the Drinking Age on New Zealand Students’ Alcohol-Related Behaviors and Attitudes
    Brownfield K, Fernando K, Halberstadt J. New Zealand Journal of Psychology. 32(1), 22-26.
    Date: 2003 (archived)
  7. Assessing the Effectiveness of Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Zero Tolerance Laws in the United States
    Voas RB, Tippetts AS, Fell JC. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 35(4), 579-587.
    Date: 2003 (archived)
  8. Changing the Minimum Legal Drinking Age- -Its Effect on a Central City Emergency Department
    Everitt R, Jones P. The New Zealand Medical Journal. 115(1146), 9-11.
    Date: 2002 (archived)
  9. Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000. Journal of Studies on Alcohol
    Wagenaar AC, Toomey TL. Special Issue: College drinking: what it is, and what do to about it: Review of the state of the science. (Suppl14), 206-225.
    Date: 2002 (archived)
  10. The Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Ages on Teen Childbearing
    Dee TS. Journal of Human Resources. 36(4), 823-838.
    Date: 2001 (archived)
  11. 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)
  12. 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)
  13. 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)
  14. State Alcohol Policies, Teen Drinking and Traffic Fatalities
    Dee TS. The Journal of Public Economics. 72(2), 289-315.
    Date: 1999 (archived)
  15. 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)
  16. 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)
  17. Deterring Sales and Provision of Alcohol to Minors: A Study of Enforcement in 295 Counties in Four States
    Wagenaar AC, Wolfson M. Public Health Reports. 110, 419-427.
    Date: 1995 (archived)
  18. Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws on Alcohol Use, Related Behaviors and Traffic Crash Involvement Among American Youth: 1976-1987
    O’Malley PM, Wagenaar AC. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 52(5), 478-491.
    Date: 1991 (archived)
  19. Raising the Alcohol Purchase Age: Its Effects on Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes in Twenty-Six States
    DuMouchel W, Williams AF, Zador P. The Journal of Legal Studies. 16(1), 249-266.
    Date: 1987 (archived)
  20. Beer Taxes, the Legal Drinking Age, and Youth Motor Vehicle Fatalities
    Saffer H, Grossman M. The Journal of Legal Studies. 16(2), 351-374.
    Date: 1987 (archived)
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