Underage Alcopop Consumption Costs

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

* 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.