Drinking Age Policy Implementation and the Practice of Federal Law in the United States

Abstract

Readjusting a standardized national drinking age, particularly in the area of implementation has been a matter of concern to scholars of political science and health sciences. It is instructive to note that the national legal drinking age of 21 years is a primary alcohol-control policy initiated and implemented since 1985 in the United States. Different groups have raised public debate on the minimum drinking age and proposed reducing it to 18 years. However, recent trends in alcohol drinking and related consequences, comparative effect of the minimum legal drinking ages of 21 years and 18 years, research on drinking among high school and college students related to minimum legal drinking age are critically reviewed, using secondary data sources. This article therefore seeks to support the minimum drinking age of 21 years, rather than lowering it to 18 years. Concerted interventional roles are essential by the assistance of non-governmental organizations, public health experts, legal experts, and public office holders; for the purpose of influencing healthy decisions about alcohol among the early adults and thereby leading to reduction in alcohol consumption and its negative impacts.