What is a Patent? A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention â a product or process that provides a new way of doing something, or that offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides patent owners with protection for their inventions. Protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20 years. Why are patents necessary?
In 1980, when the legal drinking age in New Jersey was changed to 19, fatalities were at an all-time high for 18 to 20 year olds, with 88 young people losing their lives in drunk driving crashes on our roadways.n 2007, ten young people were killed in drunk driving crashes on New Jersey roadways. That number has remained constant since 2005. Overall, the State has experienced a 78 percent reduction in DWI fatalities for young people ages 18 to 20 since the drinking age was raised to 21 in the 1980âs.
According to a study by Columbia University, underage drinkers account for 11.4% of all of the alcohol consumed in the U.S. The average age teen boys first try alcohol is age 11, for teen girls itâs 13. Nearly 10 million young people, ages 12 to 20, reported that they've consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. Teens who start drinking before age 15 years are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after the legal age of 21.