While there are many studies examining contemporaneous or short-term effects of MLDA on drinking behaviors, the study of persistent or long-term effects of MLDA has only been undertaken recently. Our group has shown that adults who were legally permitted to drink prior to age 21 exhibited 1.3-fold higher odds for a past-year alcohol use disorder, suggesting that individuals exposed to an MLDA of under 21 may be at elevated risk for alcohol-related problems in later adulthood (Norberg et al., 2009).
