such as the intensity or patterning of drinking.. This ‘drinking pattern’ hypothesis is consistent with the many studies finding that more restrictive purchase ages do reduce the frequency and intensity of alcohol use among underage drinkers, even though underage drinking remains common (e.g., reviewed in Wagenaar and Toomey, 2002). Furthermore, it is plausible that the effects of MLDA laws on patterns of drinking among early-onset drinkers could be explained by the influence of MLDA laws on the behavior of their more law-abiding peers. For example, if young adults prefer to drink with friends than to drink alone, then even among respondents who had already begun to drink before age 18, a more restrictive purchase age could influence the frequency, activities, and social composition of the encounters around which people form enduring social relationships (Glaeser et al, 2003; Kremer and Levy, 2008).
