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If you've ever wondered why 21 was set
as the legal drinking age, here are the real world facts |
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What's Magic About the Number
21? |
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Are you wondering what the deal is with
the 21 minimum drinking age law? Sure, it's a law but it doesn't always
feel like it. It's in all 50 states but do people pay attention to it? You
might question why the laws were written with 21 as the minimum drinking
age, what's so special about that age, and how the law came to be. Here's a
lowdown on the most relevant information. |
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A Walk Down Memory Lane |
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Some folks think 21 was pulled out of
the air. But despite what you may think, there are some pretty good reasons
that age 21 was selected.
Back in the late 1960's and early 70's
a number of states lowered their drinking age from 21 to 18. In many of
these states, research documented a significant increase in highway deaths
of the teens affected by these laws. So, in the early 1980's a movement
began to raise the drinking age back to 21. After the law changed back to
21, many of the states were monitored to check the difference in highway
fatalities. Researchers found that teenage deaths in fatal car crashes
dropped considerably - in some cases up to 28% - when the laws were moved
back to 21. Like it or not, it is clear that more young people were killed
on the highways when the drinking age was 18.
Back in 1982 when the many of the
states had minimum drinking ages of 18, 55% of all fatal crashes involving
youth drivers involved alcohol. Since then, the alcohol-related traffic
fatality rate has been cut in half! Research estimates that from 1975-1997
more than 17,000 lives have been saved. Hard to argue with that! |
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A Strain in the Brain |
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According to the book Buzzed,
the use of alcohol by young people is especially frightening. We all hear
about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking, but most of us know
very little about how alcohol affects on the brains of young people.
Buzzed says we should look at
what we do know about young brains like the fact that they don't finish
developing until a person is around twenty years old. And one of the last
regions to mature is intimately involved with the ability to plan and make
complex judgments. Young brains are built to acquire new memories and are
"built to learn." Buzzed reports that, "It is no accident that
people are educated in our society during their early years, when they have
more capacity for memory and learning. However, with this added memory
capacity may come additional risks associated with the use of
alcohol." Apparently on studies using animals, young brains are vulnerable
to dangerous effects of alcohol, especially on learning and memory
function. If this is true of people, then young people who drink may be
"powerfully impairing the brain functions on which they rely so heavily for
learning." So, in case there wasn't enough pressure to perform at school,
at your job, or just in life, alcohol can prevent your use of your own
brain.
So in answer to the question "Why?" the
21 minimum age drinking laws were established to save your brain and your
life. |
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Under 21 |
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Underage drinking is more than a rite
of passage. It's an invitation to clouded judgment, limited control and
consequences that can last a lifetime. Young people across the country are
working to change the current culture and make a difference in their
communities. Are you ready to join them? |
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Myths About
Alcohol For Teens |
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It's time to confront some of the most
whacked-out lies about alcohol. You've probably heard them all. So, why
waste our time trying to de-bunk a bunch of harmless myths? Because they can
be pretty fierce.
You may want to say no to your
friends, but it's tough. And all these myths are just out there. You have
heard all kinds of stuff, but this is the real story. And the next time some
loser tries these lines on you, you'll know your stuff.
Click for
Myths |
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Underage Drinking
Information Parents Need to Know |
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Drinking and Driving
Teen issues parents need to know
College Statistics
Test Your Alcohol
Knowledge |
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State Laws and
Alcohol |
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The "legal age" concerning alcohol
is 21 in all 50 states.
Remember that the laws vary from state
to state and are always changing.
These websites will give you information about the law in your state.
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