Underage Alcopop Consumption Costs

alcopops_products

Reclassifying Alcopops as Distilled Spirits in Your State

In California, we were able to estimate the enormous costs of underage alcopop consumption. We used this data to educate policymakers, the media, and others. Now we have made similar estimates for the other 25 states where current law indicates that alcopops should be classified as distilled spirits. Doing so would make these products less available to youth (depending on the state law), either by removing them from grocery and convenience stores, raising the taxes (and hence prices), or both.


Chart: The Cost of Underage Alcopop Consumption

State Money Deaths Incidents
of Harm*
Arizona $219,090,000 11 10,797
Arkansas $116,140,000 6 4,275
Colorado $207,870,000 10 8,555
Connecticut $104,880,000 5 4,056
Delaware $29,020,000 2 1,053
Florida $623,000,000 30 23,857
Hawaii $36,000,000 2 1,796
Idaho $38,500,000 2 1,456
Iowa $98,390,000 5 3,722
Kansas $109,140,000 6 4,210
Kentucky $105,370,000 5 4,036
Louisiana $184,510,000 10 7,302
Massachusetts $238,900,000 11 8,151
Michigan $342,600,000 16 12,960
Mississippi $90,350,000 4 3,418
Nebraska $75,580,000 4 2,761
Nevada $86,380,000 4 3,853
New Jersey $246,820,000 13 9,853
New York $548,560,000 24 20,121
North Carolina $207,090,000 10 7,834
Ohio $449,950,000 21 17,021
Oklahoma $131,500,000 7 5,203
Rhode Island $28,810,000 1 1,223
South Dakota $59,370,000 5 1,636
Texas $877,430,000 39 37,801

* Harms include traffic accidents, suicides, violence, poisonings and fetal alcohol syndrome, among others.

Calculations are based on: Miller, T.R, Levy, D.T., Spicer, R.S., Taylor, D.M., Societal Costs of Underage Drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67: 519-528, 2006. Miller, T.R, Levy, D.T., Spicer, R.S., Taylor, D.M., State Underage Drinking Costs Factsheets Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation , 2007. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. 2002.