Would lowering the drinking age allow us to educate students about responsible use?
The drinking age law does not need to change in order to educate students about responsible use. When educating underage students about alcohol, the college prevention programs affiliated with PIP throughout Missouri help students understand the consequences (legal, financial) of underage drinking. Knowing that some students are going to choose to drink in spite of the law, preventionists challenge students to make informed, responsible decisions regarding their consumption of alcohol through teaching students about drink sizes, blood alcohol contents, and the use of protective behaviors such as alternating non-alcoholic drinks with alcoholic drinks, counting their drinks, etc. Evidence Based Justifications for the 21 Year Old Drinking Age Studies indicate that delaying the onset of drinking substantially reduces the risk of alcohol problems and dependence later on in life. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that through 2002, the increase in the minim
