National Minimum Drinking Age Act

The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 is a U.S. law that encourages states to raise their legal drinking age to 21 by imposing a federal highway fund penalty if they don't comply. Essentially, it doesn't directly set a nationwide drinking age but uses financial incentives to promote uniformity across states. The law aims to reduce drunk driving and alcohol-related accidents among young people, based on research showing higher risks for those under 21. Today, all states have set the legal drinking age at 21, partly due to this legislation.