"The National Uniform Drinking Act Age 21 has been a balanced, effective, and popular tool in helping to combat the many problems associated with underage drinking—for students or nonstudents alike" is the conclusion of a Commentary in the July 2012 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

The piece supports findings of a study by Fitzpatrick and colleagues reported in the same journal, examining whether lowering the current drinking age would be an effective means of reducing underage drinking problems, as claimed by the Amethyst Initiative, a collaboration of 135 college and university presidents who have challenged the current laws. "Research shows," the commentary stated, "when the drinking age is 21, those younger than 21 drink less and continue to drink less through their early 20s."

Doctors often miss alcohol problems in their patients who are not intoxicated at the time of their visit, a new study finds.

The researchers analyzed studies that included a total of 20,000 patients assessed for alcohol problems by medical staff. They found general practitioners identified 40 percent of problem drinkers, hospital physicians recognized 50 percent, and mental health specialists identified 55 percent, Science Daily reports.