Drinking Age Minimum Act

The Drinking Age Minimum Act refers to federal legislation passed in 1984 that set the national minimum legal drinking age at 21 across all states. It provided certain federal funding incentives to motivate states to raise or enforce existing minimum drinking ages to this level. The goal was to reduce alcohol-related accidents and fatalities among young people by establishing a consistent national standard. States that did not comply risked losing federal highway funds. As a result, all states soon adopted laws setting the legal drinking age at 21, contributing to greater uniformity and improved public safety.