THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN LEGAL PURCHASE OR DRINKING AGE ON DRINKING AND ADMISSIONS TO TREATMENT

Between 1970 and 1975, all Canadian provinces, 29 American states, and Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland) lowered their legal drinking ages, often to harmonize conflicts between drinking age and age of majority. The law changes varied in terms of age, and type and sale of alcoholic beverages. Such laws were often passed as part of a package of liberal measures, leaving no control groups available for study. Official statistics suggest that after the laws were enacted, the biggest change in Ontario was an increase in on-premise consumption, some Canadian provinces experienced little impact on per capita consumption, and beer sales increased in the U.S. Surveys found an increase in drinking among both new and established drinkers in the Ontario high school population; there was little effect on consumption among college students. Data from Nordic countries suggest that reducing drinking ages increased drinking among young people, although Norway may be an exception. Tentative data from Ontario suggest that a subsequent return to a higher drinking age has reduced drinking among the affected student population. Evidence also indicates an increase in admissions to treatment facilities since the new law.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in HS-030 215, "Minimum-Drinking-Age Laws. An Evaluation," Lexington, Massachusetts and Toronto, 1980, pp 133-54.
• Corporate Authors:

  Lexington Books

  4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
  Lanham, MD  United States  20706
• Authors:
  • Smart, R G
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 22 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcoholic beverages; Consumption; Legal drinking age; Sales; Students
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Finance; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00379511
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 222
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 30 1983 12:00AM