Long recognized for its successful students and affluent lifestyle, Mercer Island is finding itself tagged with a more dubious distinction: Not only do its high-school seniors drink and use marijuana nearly 25 percent more than the average teen in Washington, but the problem has remained steady for the past 13 years, while drinking and drug abuse have declined among teens statewide.
Last week parents, police and community groups got their first look at new statistics that have prompted an islandwide effort to curb teen substance abuse.
A state survey on youth health behaviors shows 58 percent of the island's high-school seniors reported drinking in the previous 30 days, compared with the statewide average of 47 percent.
Read the full story.
