Although the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21 in all U.S. states and most territories[1] (see National Minimum Drinking Age Act), the legal details for consumption vary greatly. Although some states completely ban alcohol usage for people under 18, the majority have exceptions that permit consumption.[2]
Underage drinking has become an activity primarily done in secrecy. In what is known as pregaming or pre-partying, underage drinkers may hide their alcohol consumption by drinking quickly before they go out. Brittany Levine explained in her article "Pre-Gaming" in USA Today that "of all drinking events involving pre-partying, 80% involved additional drinking afterward."[3]
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- ^ Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are the only U.S. jurisdictions to have not increased their legal drinking age to 21
- ^ Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) State Profiles of Underage Drinking Laws Archived 2022-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Levine. Pre-partying' can kick off a big night of boozing - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.