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Societal costs of underage drinking
Ted R Miller1, David T Levy, Rebecca S Spicer
1Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 11710 Beltsville Drive, Suite 125, Calverton, Maryland 20705-3102, USA. Miller@pire.org
Underage drinking caused significant harm, including 3,170 deaths and $61.9 billion in societal costs in 2001. The societal harm per drink exceeded its cost and taxes, highlighting the economic impact of youth alcohol consumption.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Underage drinking persists despite minimum-purchase-age laws.
- Previous research has not detailed alcohol problem costs by age group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the magnitude and societal costs of problems linked to underage alcohol consumption.
- To compare these costs with revenue from alcohol sales.
Main Methods:
- Categorized alcohol-related problems (traffic crashes, violence, etc.).
- Estimated fatal and nonfatal cases attributable to underage drinking.
- Calculated total costs per problem by multiplying cases by cost per case.
Main Results:
- Underage drinking represented at least 16% of alcohol sales in 2001.
- Resulted in 3,170 deaths and 2.6 million other harmful events.
- Total estimated cost was $61.9 billion, with violence and traffic crashes being major cost drivers. Societal harm per drink exceeded purchase price and taxes.
Conclusions:
- Youth drinking behaviors lead to substantial injuries, deaths, and societal costs.
- Underage drinking warrants serious public health attention, similar to illicit drugs and tobacco.
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