Dangers of Underage Drinking

The Dalton Police Department wants to remind teens about the dangers of underage drinking.  Not only is it against the law, but underage drinking can also result in tragic health, social and economic problems.  According to a study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, underage drinking is a casual factor in homicide, suicide, traumatic injury, drowning, burns, violent and property crime, high risk sex, fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol poisoning.

In 2001, underage drinking cost the citizens of Georgia $1.5 billion dollars.  These costs included medical care, work loss and pain and suffering resulting from the use of alcohol by youth.  In 2002, 556 youth between the ages of 12 and 20 were admitted for alcohol treatment in Georgia.  This number accounted for 4.3% of all treatment admissions for alcohol abuse in the state.

Young people who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence, and are two and a half times more likely to become abusers of alcohol than those who begin drinking at age 21.

If you are underage, please think twice before drinking.  We don't want you to become a statistic.