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Knowing the factsIn Florida, it is illegal for anyone under age 21 to drive with any alcohol in his or her system; a blood alcohol level (BAL) of.02 percent or higher can lead to a six-month driver’s license suspension. Driving with a BAL of .08, or under the influenceof any amount of alcohol and/or drugs, may result in a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrest.It is illegal for a person under the age of 21 to purchase or possess alcoholic beverages and for anyone to purchase orprovide alcohol for persons under the age of 21. Sale of alcoholic beverages to underage individuals is a second-degreemisdemeanor. Adults who allow underage drinking parties in their home can be arrested for violating the open house partystatute. Teens or young adults under age 21 using false identification (fake ID) can be charged with a felony.The$10,000drinkNo matter how you look at it, getting aDUI is a bad idea. What you might notrealize is the financial cost. Getting aDUI could take a big chunk out of yourpaycheck. The average costs (notincluding any costs for lost pay, personalinjuries, medical costs, vehicle damageor additional penalties for causing acrash while drinking) for a first-offensedrunken driving case are:Minimum fine:.......................................$390Penalty Assessment:..........................$666State Restitution Fund:.......................$100Alcohol-Abuse Education Fund:.........$50Blood- or Breath-Testing Fee:............$37Jail Cite-and-Release Fee:..................$10Driving/Alcohol-AwarenessSchool:...........................................$375(16 weeks minimum)License Reissue Fee:..........................$100Attorney Fees (average):................$2,500Auto InsuranceIncrease:......................$3,600 - $6,600(The Auto Club estimates $2,200 ayear for three years)Total....................................$7,828 - $10,828Source: Mothers Against Drunk DrivingAlcohol facts• Alcohol reduces alertness, interfereswith judgment and impairs vision.• It takes about one hour to cancel theeffects of one drink.• The probability of an accidentincreases with each drink.• Physical exercise, black coffee,fresh air, cold showers and other“remedies” do not effectively helpsomeone sober up.• The amount of blood alcohol in a oneounceshot of whiskey, three-ounceglass of wine and 12-ounce beer isthe same.• The significance of .10 percent BAL inrelation to driving impairment is thatthe probability of having an accidentis 7 ½ times greater than whensober – increasing to 25 times at .15percent BAL.• Alcohol is medically termed a drugand a depressant. The combineduse of alcohol and other depressantdrugs, such as antihistamines, maybe more dangerous to health and tohighway safety than the effects ofeither the alcohol or drugs alone.Source: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s OfficePrevention across theSuncoast regionTwenty provider organizationsare currently contracted to provideprevention programs and servicesthroughout the 11 counties of theSuncoast region. These providers workclosely with local community-drivenprevention coalitions in order to assistin the selection and implementation ofevidence-based programs, practicesand strategies to address the specificneeds of the communities they serve.The Suncoast region is host to 10anti-drug coalitions whose primarygoal is to ensure that their communitiesare safe, healthy and drug-free. Thesecoalitions have been trained in theSubstance Abuse Response Approach(SARA) and, as a result, producecommunity-level needs assessments,resource assessments and communityaction plans addressing a variety ofsubstance abuse problems, includingunderage drinking, prescription druguse/misuse, marijuana, adult bingedrinking and polysubstance use (multidrugcombinations). The substanceabuse prevention coalitions arecontinuously evaluating and updatingthe community action plans andworking with community partners toincrease awareness, educate thecommunity and work collaborativelywith service and program providersto reduce substance abuse in theSuncoast region.Suncoast region consequencesidentified:Alcohol-related crime and violence onschool campusesJuvenile crimeAlcohol-related automobile accidentsAlcohol-related fatalitiesDUI-related deaths and injuries“I lost family and friends, as well as my opportunity for education. I lost myspiritual connection with my higher power, my peace and my integrity. I losttouch with myself, and I lost my freedom. Through my recovery I regainedall these things and I am still gaining. I have found love and inspiration, and Ihave found pure joy in life.”— Samantha8 tampabay.com/nie