Although the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21 in all U.S. states and most territories[1] , 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 pre-gaming 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]
| Youth rights |
|---|
- ^ 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.