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April 18, 2006

Impact of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, most States lowered the drinking age in response to public pressure. When the drinking age was lowered, the number of traffic fatalities among young people increased, prompting concern that young people were traveling between States in order to drink legally.

A limited number of States in the late 1970s and early 1980s raised the minimum legal drinking age to 21. Studies in those states showed a reduction in alcohol-related traffic crashes, a leading indicator of youth drinking. The Federal Government used these studies to pass legislation that would withhold funding unless a State raised the minimum legal drinking age to 21. Now all 50 states have the legal drinking age of 21.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and you as a parent should be aware of the influence you have on your teen. While parent-child conversations about drinking are essential, talking is cheap. You also need to take concrete action to help teens resist alcohol. Research strongly shows that active, supportive involvement by parents and guardians can help teens avoid underage drinking and prevent later alcohol misuse. The message is clear. Teens still need plenty of adult supervision. Some ways to provide it :

Monitor Alcohol Use in Your Home
Connect with Other Parents
Keep Track of Your Teen's Activities
Develop Family Rules about Teen Drinking
Set a Good Example
Don't Support Teen Drinking
Help Your Child Build Healthy Friendships
Encourage Healthy Alternatives to Alcohol

For additional websites to assist you in your efforts to keep your teen drug free contact pat.giuliani@parentcorps.org and you will receive a list of websites for further support to assist you in reaching your goal.

Posted by Pat Giuliani at April 18, 2006 2:12 PM