Dear Friend,

An estimated 25,000 lives have been saved by the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA), which is why we were gravely concerned to learn that the college and university presidents and representatives listed below have added their names to a misguided initiative aimed at attacking the minimum drinking age of 21. 

We are not alone in our concern. The public strongly disagrees with efforts to lower the drinking age. According to a new survey released by Nationwide Insurance this week:

• 78 percent of adults support 21 as the minimum drinking age
• 72 percent of adults think lowering the drinking age would make alcohol more accessible to kids 
• Nearly half believe it would increase binge drinking among teens
• More than half say they are less likely to vote for a state representative who supports lowering the legal limit or send their children to colleges or universities with “party school” reputations

Contact the college and university presidents who have signed on to this initiative and request they remove their signatures and support the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age.

We must work together to find a responsible solution to the underage drinking problem, one that does not jeopardize a law that has saved nearly 25,000 lives since going into effect.  Solutions include: enforcing the drinking age, tightening alcohol policy, working within the college community to ensure the environment supports the above and working with parents to talk to their children well before peer pressure begins, around fourth grade.

We need your help to fight this effort to lower the drinking age. Please consider a contribution to MADD.  Please help us spread the word about this issue - forward this alert on to family and friends.  Together we can make a difference!