A recently released Mayo Clinic study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, puts a price tag on underage drinking. The estimated cost of hospitalization associated with underage drinkers is $755 million per year in the United States. A number of factors explain the high cost of alcohol use among adolescents and teenagers. High rates of teen drinking concern experts who say that underage drinking leads to alcohol abuse in adulthood.

The study analyzed hospital data for 2008, when approximately 40,000 young people aged 15 to 20 were hospitalized. According to researchers, 79 percent of these youth -- more than 30,000 -- were drunk when they got to the hospital. Many were diagnosed with alcohol addiction, alcohol abuse and other conditions related to drinking. Among high school students in the United States, 36 to 71 percent report that they have consumed alcohol at least once. Only seven to 23 percent admitted having had more than five drinks in a row within the two weeks immediately preceding the study.

Underage patients in the majority of the hospitalizations were treated for injuries. Analyzing the deaths that involved underage drinking, researchers found that 27 percent of the underage drinkers admitted to the hospital died, and 73 percent of deaths occurred while the patient was hospitalized for an injury.

Underage drinking also has legal implications, as young drivers may face criminal charges for driving while drinking and other legal consequences such as civil liability for property damage or personal injury resulting from car accidents. Experienced attorneys who specialize in DWI can help these young people pursue a favorable outcome for their legal problems.

Source: Wall Street Journal, "Mayo Clinic: Hospitalization of US underage drinkers common, costs $755 million a year," Feb 15, 2012