Drinking Age Law Debate

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SITE!!!!  It's open collaboration - your edits will be accepted!

Please add good information pro and con - especially links. 

 

Amethyst Initiative

A new initiative, Amethyst Initiative, has been signed by over 100 college presidents.  In part it says

"We call upon our elected officials:

To support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age.
To consider whether the 10% highway fund .incentive. encourages or inhibits that debate.
To invite new ideas about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol"

 

It was mis-characterized as supporting a lower drinking age.  Actually, it supports examining the current law, why it's not working (according to signatories) and what to do about it.

"Let’s be clear, this initiative is organized and funded by Choose Responsibility, an organization totally dedicated to lowering the drinking age, not an organization pursuing dispassionate debate." 

Here's choose responsibly's blog announcing amethyst initiative

Media record

Wall Street Journal article and blog discuss the new debate
News Leader article - 8/22/08 with numerous reactions

Redding Record Article 8/31/08 Higher drinking age saves young people's lives

Boson Globe 8/26/08 Beer ads undermine campus efforts

60 minutes coverage The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age 2/22/09

"Your Kids Are Drinking" documentary, Nebraska Educational Television Network 9/18/(2007?)

   with additional 3-part radio series and background info. 

 

Background information

Research review on minimum drinking age laws - see pdf page 6 (article page 72) and following.  Some 49 studies on drinking age change show consistantly that lower drinking age results in higher traffic fatalities. 

AMA minimum drinking age information includes history of past age reductions.

CDC quick stats on minimum legal drinking age

NASADAD summary on the subject

MADD has compiled information effectively stating the pro-21 position 

* Increase to age 21 reduced deaths

* Based on new imaging technology, recent brain science demonstrates brain formation isn't complete by 21

* Kids who start drinking early are more likely to become alcoholics.

* Lower drinking age promotes binge drinking

* Countries with lower drinking ages do NOT show better drinking statistics

 

 

Drug Free Action Alliance Keep the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 with 21 references & 7 good links

Good list of resources from NIAAA:  www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

See especially What Colleges Need to Know Now:  An Update on College Drinking Research

The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention's Q&A on drinking age

Marin institute comments on Amethyst Initiative

 

 

 

Here's an excellent debate venue with Amethyst arguments on one side and real experts on the other!

 

 

Remember toga parties?

Here's this year's movie contribution to college drinking: college, the movie

Also see from above Boson Globe 8/26/08 Beer ads undermine campus efforts

 

Australian National Action

Article describing Australian national prevention program to reduce binge drinking

Wikipedia entries

National Drinking Age Act (of 1984)
Legal Drinking Age (listing for various countries)

Amethyst Initiative
Alcohol consumption by youth in the United States
Century Council

Please add your favorite resource links here!!!!