By regulating and sanctioning alcohol at a younger age, drinking will become less of a "taboo"" or "forbidden fruit."" This will potentially reduce alcohol abuse and likelihood of binge drinking in young adults. However, the pressure to overindulge is present even at social events in the professional world. The fact of the matter is that regardless of age, misuse of alcohol can occur. Regardless of the minimum drinking age, newly legal people are prone to abuse their new privileges. For instance, a twenty-one year old and an eighteen year old are just as likely to go out and get "smashed"" on their "coming of age" " birthday. This indicates that the problem lies not in the age of the individual, but rather the initial excitement of a new privilege. .
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 was put into effect in an effort to reduce underage drinking. However, this act has proved to be unsuccessful: although the act has slightly decreased underage drinking in teens, the rest of the truth is often concealed from the general public. "Those teens that are consuming alcohol, do so to a more severe extent " (Streeter). The reason for the common misconception that underage drinking has decreased is the fact that now, it is simply occurring in places less noticed. "Underground drinking " encourages teens to hide drinking habits from parents and adult figures in order to avoid punishment. Situations such as underground parties or clubs are much more dangerous than drinking in normal places such as bars and pubs, where help and supervision is available if necessary. For example, a college freshman, nineteen years of age, was required to down five bottles of vodka during a sorority pledging. Obviously, this was far more than her body could cope with. She was passed out, despondent, and abandoned by her sorority sisters, who feared being charged for underage drinking. The girl was found the next day, dead.