Drinking under the age of 21

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

So, I was looking at some stuff on underage drinking.  If a state doesn't have a law prohibiting underage consumption of alcohol, can law enforcement still enforce the under 21 policy?

So, I'm talking about states like AR, CT, CA, etc... (http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?SEC={D65EC56D-D907-4A83-A247-063D27196124}&Type=&TAXONOMYid={221812BD-4072-4C20-ACAF-8EFFAF9FF5DD}&GROUP=INDEPTHSINGLEDATE&action=Clear#RowNote_1181)

[Meeker]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

That it's illegal to drink if you're under 21 years of age.

[Meeker]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

That it's illegal to drink if you're under 21 years of age.

There's no federal law that says that. It's all state laws, and some states don't have laws that expressly say "it is illegal to consume alcohol if you're under 21".

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

That it's illegal to drink if you're under 21 years of age.

There's no federal law that says that. It's all state laws, and some states don't have laws that expressly say "it is illegal to consume alcohol if you're under 21".

That's what I thought.  So, if the state doesn't specify, then what's the miniumum age?  Is there one?

[Meeker]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

That it's illegal to drink if you're under 21 years of age.

There's no federal law that says that. It's all state laws, and some states don't have laws that expressly say "it is illegal to consume alcohol if you're under 21".

That's what I thought.  So, if the state doesn't specify, then what's the miniumum age?  Is there one?

Looking at the chart on the link you posted, there's a note:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

So what I'm guessing that means is that they didn't want to indicate on their chart that the state had a law like all the other states when there was a slight difference. But every state does have *some* sort of prohibition on age of consumption.

I suppose it's also important to note when we're talking about this that all states' purchase ages are 21, and that's tied to federal highway funding.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Your question is kind of confusing. What is the "under 21 policy" that you're refering to?

That it's illegal to drink if you're under 21 years of age.

There's no federal law that says that. It's all state laws, and some states don't have laws that expressly say "it is illegal to consume alcohol if you're under 21".

That's what I thought.  So, if the state doesn't specify, then what's the miniumum age?  Is there one?

Looking at the chart on the link you posted, there's a note:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

So what I'm guessing that means is that they didn't want to indicate on their chart that the state had a law like all the other states when there was a slight difference. But every state does have *some* sort of prohibition on age of consumption.

I suppose it's also important to note when we're talking about this that all states' purchase ages are 21, and that's tied to federal highway funding.

I knew that the purchasign law is tied to federal funding.  I'm just trying to figure out consumption laws.

[Sbane]

Cops bust underage drinkers here in CA all the time.

[dead0man]

Underage drinkers get away with drinking underage a lot more than they get caught.  Just don't be stupid about it and you'll be fine.

[Matt Damon™]

Underage drinking laws are an abomination.

[RosettaStoned]

I do it all the time.

[Torie]

The Feds made highway funds to the states contingent on the drinking age being not lower than 21, which effectively forced all of the states to play ball the way the Feds wanted them to.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Underage drinkers get away with drinking underage a lot more than they get caught.  Just don't be stupid about it and you'll be fine.

^^^^^^^^

[Stranger in a strange land]

Technically it's legal to consume any substance. There are laws against the purchasing and possession of alcohol by minors. Public intoxication is also illegal.

[Bacon King]

Understand Inks that in states where consumption is not illegal, possession still is.

[SPQR]

Pathetic law.

[Jacobtm]

The Feds made highway funds to the states contingent on the drinking age being not lower than 21, which effectively forced all of the states to play ball the way the Feds wanted them to.

I believe that the actual rule is 5% of highway funds will be withheld if the drinking age is under 21.

[Franzl]

Pathetic law.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[??????????]

The Feds made highway funds to the states contingent on the drinking age being not lower than 21, which effectively forced all of the states to play ball the way the Feds wanted them to.

I believe that the actual rule is 5% of highway funds will be withheld if the drinking age is under 21.

That's how the Feds play the games they do. This federal govt doesn't give one damn about the constitution.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Understand Inks that in states where consumption is not illegal, possession still is.

I realize that.