The under age drinking laws in the US evolved significantly throughout history. Before 1984, states set their own legal drinking ages, and they varied from state to state. Most states chose 21 since it was the age of majority at the time, but there were states which set a lower limit. These remained in force until the 70s.
By the first half of the 70s, 30 states which previously set their limit to 21 lowered their limit age to 18 in accordance to the lowering of the voting age and the age of majority. From 1976 to 1983, several states increased their minimum age to 19 (or, less commonly, 20 or 21) as a control measure against alcohol-related vehicular accidents and deaths. (i)
In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 was passed by the United States Congress. This was a response to the recommendation of a body set up by President Ronald Reagan to study the relationship between drinking and driving. This law required all states to set 21 as the minimum age for purchasing and publicly drinking alcohol. A state which set a limit age lower than 21 would get a ten percent decrease in its annual federal highway apportionment.
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 did not outlaw underage drinking except for seven states which made an alcohol ban for anyone below 21. These are the exemptions: (ii)
1. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed on private, non alcohol-selling premises, with parental consent, such as in private homes, private offices, or private properties where parents are present and they give explicit consent. This is found among 30 states including Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
2. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed on private, non alcohol-selling premises, without parental consent. California, Nebraska, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Wyoming have this provision.
3. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed for religious purposes, such as drinking wine during a church ceremony. This is allowed in in 31 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
4. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed for medical purposes such as a medical treatment prescribed by a licenses physician. This is applicable in 21 states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
5. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed for government work – related purposes such as undercover police work and participating in government research in the states of Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and South Carolina.
5. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed for educational purposes in California, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Wyoming. This provision includes allowing culinary students to taste wine during classes.
7. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor – such as when a teenager who is drunk calls 911 to report a medical emergency for another underage drinker – is allowed in Colorado, Florida and Montana.
8. Alcohol consumption by those below 21 is allowed on alcohol-selling premises such as restaurants and bars with parental approval in the states of Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
These under age drinking laws are the ones which every teenager should know, especially if you are asking the question how to get alcohol under age. Other laws such as the social host laws affect the adults around them.
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ii. Drinking Age