Results from a survey on binge drinking were revealed by The Canberra Times on this day in 1991, exposing the culture of drug-use and alcohol consumption amongst teenagers during that time.
The minister for health issued a highlights report which summarised the major findings of the survey. The summary said that alcohol, tobacco and analgesics were the most commonly used drugs. While there were findings of illicit drug use in the report, binge drinking was of greater concern. Out of the students who had drunk alcohol in the month prior to the survey, 40 per cent of boys and 30 per cent of girls reported having five or more drinks in a row, at least once during the month.
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The report showed that when underage drinkers would "binge", they would do so without any adult supervision, and were likely to engage in such activities in public spaces, such as on the streets, in cars, or in the open. It was found that 65 per cent of males and 64 per cent of females had tried alcohol, and 26 per cent of males and 22 per cent of females would have a drink at least weekly.
The other categories of drug use showed findings that 49 per cent of boys and 37 per cent of girls had smoked tobacco by the time they reached year 7. Nearly all students had used an analgesic, with 91 per cent of males and 94 percent of females, and 61 percent and 73 per cent had reported use within the past four weeks.
