Table of Contents
When did the 21 year old drinking age start?
1984
The Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, establishing 21 as the minimum legal purchase age. Since then: Drinking by high school seniors has fallen substantially — from 66% to 42% (see chart).
When was the drinking age 18 in the US?
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (23 U.S.C. § 158) was passed by the United States Congress and was later signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on July 17, 1984….National Minimum Drinking Age Act.
| Effective | July 17, 1984 37 years ago |
| Citations | |
|---|---|
| Public law | 98-363 |
| Statutes at Large | 98 Stat. 435 aka 98 Stat. 437 |
| Codification |
What was the drinking age in 1960?
Late 1960s and 1970s: Drinking age lowered. During the late 1960s and 1970s, nearly all states lowered the drinking age to 18. This led to a huge increase in alcohol-related car accidents and drunk driving was deemed a public health crisis.
What was the drinking age in 1985?
21
Twelve states kept their purchase ages at 21 since repeal of Prohibition and never changed them….U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state.
| State | Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Post-Prohibition (after 1933) | 21 |
| 1970s / 26th Amendment (adopted in 1971) | 1972: Lowered to 18 |
| 1980s / Drinking Age Act of 1984 | 1982: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 20 1985: Raised to 21 |
What was the drinking age before 1984?
Before 1984, some states had the legal drinking age set at 18, 19, or 20. At the end of Prohibition in the 1930s, the legal drinking age was 21. This benchmark held steady until 1971, when the minimum voting age was dropped to 18 and buzz began to build for a reduction in the minimum legal drinking age, as well.
How did the drinking age become 21?
In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required states to raise their ages for purchase and public possession to 21 by October 1986 or lose 10% of their federal highway funds. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act is also seen as a congressional sidestep of the Tenth Amendment.
What was the drinking age in 1980?
Following the repeal of Prohibition, nearly all State laws restricting youth access to alcohol designated 21 as the minimum age for purchasing and consuming alcohol (Mosher 1980). Between 1970 and 1975, however, 29 States lowered the MLDA to age 18, 19, or 20.
What was the drinking age in 1974?
U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state
| State | Pre-Prohibition (prior to 1919) | 1970s / 26th Amendment (adopted in 1971) |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | None | 18 |
| Maine | ? | 1972: Lowered to 18 1977: Raised to 20 |
| Maryland | ? | 1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor |
| Massachusetts | ? | 1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 20 in 1979 (Apr 16) |