Every year millions of students pour onto Panama City Beach.  Their recipe for fun often includes alcoholic drinks.

But a sobering number of students are busted for drinking underage from different states.  Now these out-of-towners have to settle up with what could be an expensive tab.

From March 1st to April 15th, the Panama City Beach Police Department charged 170 students for drinking under the legal age of 21.

The largest number of students charged came from the following states:
-Alabama 17
-Florida  25 
-Georgia  56
-Indiana 15
-Kentucky 12
-Mississippi 9 

Ninety-eight or 3/4 of the 134 arrested were 18 years old and under. 

Statistics from the Panama City Beach Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
In a matter of 12 days, the ABT made:
844 - total arrests and citations
758 - possession of alcohol by an underage person 2008
1560 - possession of alcohol 2007
A decrease of 800 cases from last year

Panama City Police say the students were either ticketed or arrested.  The penalty for drinking underage is 60 days in jail and/or up to $500 in fines. 

If that doesn't make a vacation expensive enough, some students return to Bay County.  On their ticket offenders are given 20 days to appear in court.

Students wishing to contest the case can only do it in Bay County.  But those who plead guilty can save themselves a trip and pay the fine through the mail.