Underage drinking is costing Californians billions of dollars and adults “should be alarmed,” according to Beth Sise, head of San Diego County’s Alcohol Policy Panel.

According to a report by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Californians spent $6.8 billion in 2010 as a result of underage drinking (see chart).

“These numbers are staggering and should alarm everyone in this community,” said Sise, who is also director of trauma research and injury prevention at Scripps Mercy Hospital-San Diego Trauma Service. “Imagine the number of books our schools could buy or the number of potholes that could be fixed if our government coffers were spared from the cost of underage drinking.”

Sise said the panel, which was created in the 1990s, aims to take more action to prevent the costly—and dangerous—behavior.

“We hope to change the way people view underage and binge drinking,” she said. “These are dangerous behaviors that threaten the safety of the general public as much as they endanger young people engaging in the behaviors. As a community, we can’t continue to accept these activities as part of growing up. The consequences and costs are too great.”

The 14-member panel, which includes law enforcement and parents, will meet again on Friday, Feb. 3. For more information, visit Alcoholpolicypanel.org.