Question: Was there ever a time when the drinking age was 18 years? If so, when?
Answer: Before 1986, some U.S. states had a drinking age of 21 and some had a drinking age of 18. State governments in each of the 50 US states, not the federal government, control the minimum drinking age. However, the federal government can force states into adopting certain laws.
In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Purchase Age Act, to encourage each state to institute a minimum legal purchase age (MLPA) of 21 by 1986. This act made it nearly impossible for states to receive funding from the federal government for construction of highways if the minimum legal drinking age was under 21. Since all states depend on the federal government for highway funding (which equals Billions of dollars each year) all US states enacted minimum drinking ages of 21.
Today, the minimum drinking age in all 50 US states is 21 years of age.
The main federal acts concerned with alcoholic beverages are:
Title 27 of the United States Code (Federal Law)
The Federal Alcohol Administration Act, at 27 USC §§201 - 207
The Federal Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act, at 27 USC §§213 - 219a.
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On 03/24/04
GReg from FL said:
Im 21 now and all alchohol has ever caused for me and anyone i know is trouble. And I Love it, and will never stop drinking it. But i can't even think of what gutter I would be laying in right now if i could have drank when i was younger. I mean I have drank since i was 14, but if i had had access to it like I do no( Such in bars and clubs) I seriously doubt I would have made it this far or even been half as successful in life as i am now. I think it is ridiculous to think an 18 year old can drink. At the time I would have definitely been against the drinking age, but lookin back im glad.
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On 03/24/04
GReg from FL said:
Im in the Navy and have been to more countries than I an remember. And when all of you are claiming it works in other countries you have to take into account all the other things about their youth. In other countries the youth are more respectful, more abmbitious, and overall have a much harder drive then the youth of America. But other than that fact. I say drink underage and have fun. Its more fun while your underage anyways. Enjoy breaking the la w. Hell i do it all the time, im only 20.
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On 03/24/04
GREg from AZ said:
You dont get kicked out of the navy... Been caught twice, been to captain mast, no big deal, even had to go to dappa program for a seperate incident where half my shipmates and me got raided. Navy discourages underage drinking because of the drunk sailor image. Once its actually happened its not the end of the world. You must be a recent booter. Drink on Jason hoooyah
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On 03/17/04
Jason from FL said:
no if ur in the militay the drinking age is not 18 however i wish it was becuase if i get caught drinking because im underage i could get kicked out the the navy so for us anyway it is still 21o
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On 02/28/04
Mark from Othe said:
Actually Brandi is sorta right. I'm from Alberta in Canada. Here the legal drinking age is 18 as well as Manitobia and Quebec. In the rest of the provinces it's 19. There is no National drinking age.
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