High School Makes Kids Drink

About half of all Grade 12 students binge drink once a month.

A new study found that between 41 and 52 per cent of Grade 12 students across Canada got wicked drunk at least once in the past month. ("Getting wicked drunk" is the scientific term for having five or more drinks in one sitting.) In addition, another 15 to 27 per cent of Grade 12s smoked weed in the past month. The exact numbers are hard to pin down because the study looked at data compiled by the individual provinces through different means, but either way, teenagers love their weed and booze. Unfortunately, they also have a habit of getting drunk or high and getting behind the wheel, as 14 to 21 per cent said they had driven less than an hour after lighting up and 12 to 20 per cent said they'd driven after having two or more drinks. Kids these days ... haven't they learned the time-honoured tradition of drinking on public transit?