April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a national observance sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), and one of their goals is to raise awareness on preventing underage drinking. You might think this is a message just for teens and their parents, but underage drinking is an issue that affects every individual as well as entire communities. We all know the health risks of underage drinking, but what is underage drinking really costing us?

The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation conducted a study on the economic impact of underage drinking in the United States, with a breakdown of each state. They found that underage drinking cost the citizens of Texas $6.0 billion in 2010, making up nearly 10% of the nationwide cost of $62.8 billion. These costs include medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering associated with the multiple problems resulting from the use of alcohol by youth.

Let’s break down that $6 billion figure and look at the most costly problems resulting from underage drinking in 2010. Youth violence due to underage drinking cost $3.4 billion and traffic crashes cost $916.8 million. High-risk sex, ages 14-20, cost $770.7 million, while Fetal Alcohol Syndrome among mothers age 15-20 cost $180.2 million. Youth property crime costs were $545.9 million and youth injury resulted in costs of $150.1 million. As you can see, underage drinking affects all of us.

The economic and societal impacts of underage drinking are too large to ignore. This is an issue that affects all of us, and we must work together to make a change. There are things that communities can do to make it easier for youth to make healthy choices. This includes enforcement of existing laws to hold accountable those who sell or provide alcohol to minors, strengthen existing policies, and changing community norms to make underage drinking unacceptable through education and media awareness efforts.

Brazoria County Community Coalition of the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol is comprised of representatives from businesses, schools, higher education, faith communities, law enforcement, and other concerned individuals, all working together to create a safer community for youth by working on these types of community-based strategies.

You can join us and make a difference in Brazoria County. Get more information at www.bacoda.org or contact us at coalitions@bacoda.org or 800-510-3111.

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Brazoria County Community Coalition is a project of the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol (BACODA).  BACODA is a community-based substance abuse prevention organization that provides sustained leadership and support for the Coalition.  BACODA, a United Way agency, has provided comprehensive prevention/intervention services since 1974.