Underage Drinking Costs High

The cost of underage drinking for each youth convicted is $1,699. In 2001, there were so many it added up to 2 billion in the U.S. Is drinking really worth that much? Wouldn't you rather put that money into a new car or something rather than alcohol? Underage drinkers have to realize they have their whole lives to drink; they don't have to start young.

When kids drink they don't think about dying in a car crash later that night, getting into a fight, or having unprotected sex. They think about the cost of a keg versus a few cases. They think it is cool and popular to have possession of alcohol on them.

Adults are guilty of this however it's more dangerous in a young person's hands because they are inexperienced drivers and not as responsible. However, adults are guilty if they give alcohol to minors. Anymore if you are under-aged and near alcohol, you can be arrested for that.

Traffic crashes that involve underage drinking are the most visible. The costs in 2001, just in Pennsylvania alone, came to about $620 million. However, there is another cost to underage drinking. It is youth violence related to alcohol, coming to over a billion dollars. Other consequences that add up to extensive amounts of money are youth property crime, poisoning and psychosis, treatment for alcoholism, high-risk sex among 14-20 year olds, fetal alcohol syndrome among young mothers, and other injuries to minors.

If you think that is a high price to pay for underage drinking think of the suffering children and their families. That price can't be measured as easily. Another thing is if we didn't have to spend the money on underage drinking, think of what it could be used for.

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