Changes in alcohol consumption by 18-year-olds following an increase in New York State's purchase age to 19.

A household-based telephone survey of 1800 16- to 20-year-old New Yorkers was conducted during November 1982, approximately one month before New York's minimum legal purchase age for alcoholic beverages was raised from 18 to 19. A second sample was surveyed during December 1983, approximately one year following the change. Comparisons between 1982 and 1983 of prevalence measures for various drinking levels for each age group were made. The prevalence of all drinking levels decreased significantly for 18-year-olds as well as 17-year-olds. Decreases for 19- and 20-year-olds were significant for less than half the measures and were less in magnitude than decreases for 18-year-olds. Prior to the purchase age change, prevalence measures for 18-year-olds were similar to those for 19- and 20-year-olds. Following the increase, measures for 18-year-olds were significantly lower than those for 19- and 20-year-olds. Analysis by sex showed that prevalence measures for 18-year-old men and women generally declined significantly. The public health implications of these findings as well as the highway safety aspects are discussed.