Yet Another Myth Bites The Dust

One of our earliest posts in 2009 was one criticizing a study that attempted to link the 21 drinking age to improved birth outcomes (and conversely, lower drinking ages with worse birth outcomes) among young pregnant people.  We thought we debunked it fairly well even back then, as that study had many flaws.  Then, in 2015, another study came out that further weakened that older study's conclusions to the point of virtual irrelevance, but the authors still seemed to cling to the idea that there may still be some benefits to the 21 drinking age in that regard, because reasons.

More recently, in 2024, yet another study came out that really thoroughly debunked the idea of the 21 drinking age improving birth outcomes at all among young pregnant people.  In contrast, alcohol policies that target the general population regardless of age do seem to be beneficial.

In any case, regardless, any attempt to justify the 21 drinking age in that regard is pure mission creep and grasping at straws on the part of the pro-21 side.  Even if such benefits were true, such a sledgehammer approach is both over- and under-inclusive, grossly outdated, and worst of all, is a gross violation of civil and human rights.

So consider this one debunked as well.

(Mic drop)