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States Consider Restoring the  Minimum Legal Drinking Age to 18

Some states are considering lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) back to 18. States could do so and avoid losing 10% of their federal highway funding by decriminalizing the purchase, possession or consumption of alcohol by adults age 18-20 and prohibiting fines or other punishments.

Alcohol Medical Emergency Amnesty at Colleges and Universities

Amnesty policies for alcohol medical emergencies at colleges and universities give higher priority to protecting students’ safety and lives than to enforcing alcohol rules and regulations. It’s a realistic policy to reduce death and injury because of students’ fear of  punishment.

Exercise, Alcohol and Heart Health/Fatal Heart Attacks

Moderate drinking and exercise are cumulative in their positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Doing one is better than nothing, but doing both is the best choice of all and dramatically reduces the risk death from heart attack. The same is also found for all-cause mortality.

Laws Discourage Young Designated Drivers

Laws often assume that underage persons in the presence of others who are drinking are themselves guilty of illegal drinking. Abstaining Designated Drivers are forced to try to prove their innocence if they attend a teenage party where drinking occurs and may receive a criminal record for their efforts to  reduce alcohol-related traffic injuries and deaths.

Laws Would Permit Underage Adults in Military to Drink Alcoholic Beverages

South Carolina State Representative Fletcher Smith argues that adults judged mature enough to serve in the military and put their lives at risk for their country should be judged mature enough to enjoy a drink.

Alcohol Abstainers Who Begin to Drink Reduce Their Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Middle-aged alcohol abstainers who began drinking in moderation experienced a 38% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those who continued abstaining. Even after adjusting for physical activity, Body Mass Index (BMI), demographic and cardiac risk factors, this difference persisted.

Drinking Alcohol Daily Reduces Risk of Prostate Enlargement

Consuming alcoholic drinks daily reduces risk of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate. Consuming 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day reduces risk 33% compared to alcohol abstainers or teetotalers.

Crime and Alcohol Consumption Down After 24-Hour Drinking Laws Established

Crime and alcohol consumption declined after 24-hour alcohol serving was legalized in the U.K. by the Licensing Act in 2005. These findings are consistent with those found in the U.S. States with later last call for alcohol hours tend to have fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths, according to data collected by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Maximum Legal BAC of .02 Proposed for Massachusetts

Maximum legal BAC of .02 has been proposed for Massachusetts by state senator James Fagan. The lower blood alcohol concentration or content level would effectively prohibit driving after consuming any alcoholic beverage.

Illegal Attempts to Purchase Alcohol by Underage Persons Go Unpunished

Chances of an underage person being punished for attempting to illegally purchase alcohol in the U.K. is one in 282,000 attempts, estimates British Home Secretary. The state of Alaska has  implemented an innovative law to address the problem of underage alcoholic beverage purchasers who use fake or false identification or ID cards.

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