The Legal Drinking Age and Underage Drinking in the United States

Preliminary Evaluation of the NIAAA/AAP Brief Alcohol Use Screener

“…Lifetime prevalence rates of adolescent alcohol use have decreased over the last few decades, but underage alcohol use remains a serious public health concern with significant social, legal and human consequences (Johnston et al, 2016). Underage alcohol use is associated with negative developmental outcomes including: social and legal problems, health-risk behaviors, short-and long-term physical and neurological problems, accidents, injuries and multiple forms of interpersonal violence (Miller et al, 2007;Hingson, 2009). The prevalence of regular alcohol use and of alcohol use disorders increases steadily from early to late adolescence (e.g.…”

Research on the Legal Liquor Youth in the US

“…In the case of recent studies, far more 15 to 16-year-olds in 34 of 35 European countries than American teens of similar age report drinking in the month before that. There were larger amounts of individuals who said they had never been intoxicated in their entire life in all but three European nations, had been drunk during the previous year in all but four, and had drunk within the previous 30 days in all but five nations [2]. A lower minimum drinking age can help to reduce the pressure associated with underage drinking, which can lead to healthier attitudes towards alcohol consumption.…”

Usefulness of a Survey on Underage Drinking in a Rural American Indian Community Health Clinic

“…In the general U.S. population, underage drinking is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in childhood and adolescence (Hingson, 2009; Hingson, Edwards, Heeren & Rosenbloom, 2009; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA], 2005). American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents are at higher risk than other U.S. ethnic minority adolescents for underage drinking and its associated morbidity and mortality (Bachman et al, 1991; Beals et al, 1997; Beauvais, Jumper-Thurman, & Burnside, 2008; Beauvais, Jumper-Thurman, Helm, Plested, & Burnside, 2004; Blum, Harmon, Harris, Bergeinsen, & Resnick, 1992; NIAAA, 2009; Miller, Beauvais, Burnside, & Jumper-Thurman, 2008; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2008; Indian Health Service, 2009; Wallace et al, 2003).…”

“…In addition, in the general U.S. population, earlier ages of first use of and intoxication with alcohol have been associated with higher rates of problems in adulthood, including alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related risk behaviors (Grant & Dawson, 1997; Grant, Stinson, & Harford, 2001; Hingson, 2009; Hingson & Zha, 2009; Hingson, Heeren, & Winter, 2006a, 2006b; Hingson, Heeren, & Edwards, 2008). One study of an AI community sample from the same population from which the current study participants were drawn (Ehlers, Slutske, Gilder, Lau, & Wilhelmsen, 2006) showed that earlier ages of first alcohol intoxication were associated with higher rates of alcohol use disorders in adulthood.…”