Tragic health, social, and economic problems result from the use of alcohol by youth. Underage drinking is a causal factor in a host of serious problems, including homicide, suicide, traumatic injury, drowning, burns, violent and property crime, high risk sex, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisoning, and need for treatment for alcohol abuse and dependence.

PIRE's Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, which was established by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (within the U.S. Department of Justice) to support its Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Programs, has produced state-by-state fact sheets that examine costs of underage drinking. Additional information is available on the Center’s website.