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Underage Drinking in Florida

The Facts

Tragic health, social, and economic problems result from the use of alcohol by youth. Underage drinking is a causal factor in a host of serious problems, including homicide, suicide, traumatic injury, drowning, burns, violent and property crime, high risk sex, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisoning, and need for treatment for alcohol abuse and dependence.

Problems and Costs Associated with Underage Drinking in Florida

Underage drinking cost the citizens of Florida $4.5 billion in 2007. These costs include medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering associated with the multiple problems resulting from the use of alcohol by youth.1 This translates to a cost of $2,769 per year for each youth in the State. Florida ranks 11th highest among the 50 states for the cost per youth of underage drinking. Excluding pain and suffering from these costs, the direct costs of underage drinking incurred through medical care and loss of work cost Florida $1.4 billion each year.

Costs of Underage Drinking Florida 2007

Total: $4.5 billion

Work Lost Costs: $1.1B

Medical Costs: $361M

Pain & Suffering Costs: $3.1B

Costs of Underage Drinking by Problem, Florida 2007

Problem	Total Costs (in millions)
Youth Violence	$3,153.8
Youth Traffic Crashes	$617.2
High-Risk Sex, Ages 14-20	$246.1
Youth Property Crime	$232.5
Youth Injury	$94.9
Poisonings and Psychoses	$19.0
FAS Among Mothers Age 15-20	$61.7
Youth Alcohol Treatment	$46.6
Total	$4,471.8

Alcohol Consumption by Youth in Florida

Underage drinking is widespread in Florida. Approximately 735,000 underage youth in Florida drink each year. In 2007, according to self-reports by Floridian students in grades 9-12: 4

24% had their first drink of alcohol, other than a few sips, before age 13.

42% had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more occasion in the past 30 days.

23% had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (i.e., binge drinking) in the past 30 days.

5% had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days.

In 2007, underage drinkers consumed 9.1% of all alcohol sold in Florida, totaling $1.1 billion in sales. These sales provided profits of $542 million to the alcohol industry.1

Harm Associated with Underage Drinking in Florida

Underage drinking in Florida leads to substantial harm due to traffic crashes, violent crime, property crime, unintentional injury, and risky sex.

During 2007, an estimated 144 traffic fatalities and 5,800 nonfatal traffic injuries involved an underage drinking driver.

In 2006, an estimated 149 homicides; 91,400 nonfatal violent crimes such as rape, robbery and assault; and 145,700 property crimes including burglary, larceny, and car theft involved an underage drinking perpetrator.

In 2006, an estimated 21 alcohol involved fatal burns, drownings, and suicides involved underage drinking.

In 2006, an estimated 7,900 teen pregnancies and 36,300 risky sexual acts by teens involved alcohol.

Produced by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), November 2009.

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1 Miller, TR, Levy, DT, Spicer, RS, & Taylor, DM. (2006) Societal costs of underage drinking Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 67(4) 519-528

2 Grant, B.F., & Dawson, D.A. (1997). Ago at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the Nation Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse 9: 103-110.

3 Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). (2007). Substance Abuse Treatment by Primary Substance of Abuse, According to Sex, Age, Race, and Ethnicity.

4 Center for Disease Control (CDC). (2007). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS).