Lower Age Limits Lead to More Alcoholism

In a new study released by the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research they find that people that grew up with legal drinking age limits of 18 instead of 21 go on to have more problems with alcohol later in life. In fact, according to the study, people were allowed to buy alcohol legally before age 21 were 33 percent more likely to have suffered from alcoholism. Louisiana was mentioned because back in the 70s, when the voting age was lowered to 18, they also voted to lower the drinking age to 18. Then in the early 80s the Federal Government passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act and threatened to withhold federal highway funds unless the state had a 21 drinking age. Most states complied and changed their age limit back to 21...all except Louisiana who didn't raise it back until 1995. WMBF in Myrtle Beach, SC has a full report.

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