Urge Your Representative to Co-Sponsor the Support 21 Act

Last month, Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) introduced the Support 21 Act, which would reinforce public support for keeping and enforcing the age 21 drinking law, and strengthen underage drinking efforts. Now, CADCA is asking all coalitions to urge their representative to sign on as a co-sponsor of this bill.

The primary goals of the bill are to: 1) reaffirm the fact that the minimum legal drinking age of 21 has been a remarkably effective law and should not be weakened; 2) reinforce support among the public for keeping and enforcing the age 21 law; and 3) build upon the effective coalition model by enabling community coalitions, health care providers, and parents to engage in efforts to reduce underage drinking. If passed, the bill would authorize $5 million in supplemental grant funds for current and former DFC grantees to enhance their efforts to work with pediatric health care providers and parents to reduce underage drinking.

CADCA sent a legislative alert out on the Support 21 Act earlier this week encouraging coalitions to ask their U.S. Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor of this bill. The more co-sponsors the bill has, the more likely it is to be considered on the House floor. To do this now, visit: capwiz.com/cadca/issues/alert/?alertid=12823856&type=CO.

Community anti-drug coalitions throughout the country are all too familiar with the detrimental consequences associated with underage drinking not only for those youth directly involved, but also for communities at-large. While underage drinking is pervasive and has major repercussions, the implementation of the 21 year old minimum legal drinking age law has proven extremely effective. In 1984 when the drinking age was still 18, 67.2 percent of 12th graders had consumed alcohol in the past month. Since the drinking age was raised to 21, that percentage has decreased by one-third, to 44.4 percent. This is a societal prevention success that will be reinforced by the media campaign authorized by the Support 21 Act.

Science confirms that the adolescent brain is not fully developed until the early to mid-20s. Alcohol use prior to age 21 can hamper brain development and function, and the effects of repeated alcohol consumption during adolescence may be long-lasting. The National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol Related Conditions indicates that of the people diagnosed with alcohol dependence ever in their lives, 47 percent met the criteria before age 21.

“It’s critical that coalitions continue to work to increase the age of initiation, as those who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence. Each additional year of delayed drinking initiation reduces the possibility of dependence by 14 percent,” said Gen. Arthur Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO. “The Support 21 Act will help us do this.”

The Support 21 Act represents a bi-partisan effort to reduce the costs and consequences of underage drinking while simultaneously raising awareness about the critical role that prevention plays. “Please make this a priority and encourage your Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor,” Gen. Dean added.