Question

Since the year that the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 21 was made illegal in all states 1988, alcohol consumption by persons under the age of 21:

a. has increased
b. has decreased
c. has remained stable
d. has fluctuated wildly and randomly from year to year
e. remains unknown

Answer 1

Alcohol consumption by persons under the age of 21 has decreased since the 1988 legislation making it illegal for those under 21 to purchase alcohol, influenced by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 and initiatives from organizations like MADD.

Step-by-step explanation:

Since the year the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 21 was made illegal in all states in 1988, alcohol consumption by persons under the age of 21 has decreased. This outcome was influenced by the passage of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which required states to raise the legal drinking age to twenty-one or risk losing federal highway funds. The Act, alongside efforts from organizations such as Mothers Against Driving (MADD), aimed to reduce underage drinking and consequently reduce alcohol-related incidents among youth. Historical trends, such as the effects of Prohibition under the Eighteenth Amendment and later its repeal, showcase the complex relationship between legislation and alcohol consumption patterns in the United States.