Minimum Drinking Age

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The minimum legal drinking age or MLDA in the United States is 21 and should not be lowered to a younger age because of the risk of more traffic injuries, the fact that alcohol interferes with the development of young brains and less people end up drinking alcohol when the legal drinking age is higher.

Reducing the MLDA in the United States from 21 to 18 will cause a higher rate of alcohol induced traffic injuries. For example, In a 2002 meta study found lower rates of traffic accidents when the drinking age was higher. Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that when the drinking age is Twenty-One fatal motor vehicle crashes for 18 - 20 year olds decreased by 13% saving approximately 27,052 live
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