Sex, drinking up among Aussie teens

SIDNEY, Australia, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Australian teens are increasingly giving a thumbs up to sex and drinking and a thumbs down to cigarettes and marijuana, a new study indicates.

Market researcher Imogen Randall says use of alcohol is up 10 percent in the past two years. The trend shows up in the biennial YouthSCAN study of 600 Australian youths age 14 to 17, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday.

"Socially, alcohol is a very acceptable drug and it's used in all sorts of family situations, and by most people in society," she said.

"It's no surprise that young people, as well, are drinking to the same sort of extent, or are finding it as acceptable as most of Australia do."

Randall says the nation's youth "are heeding messages around health and the social issues around drugs and smoking."

She says the survey also shows teens are wealthier and more materialistic.

"They're generally pretty happy with life, they're materially rewarded, very happy at school and pretty happy with their lot," she said. "A lot of them have a lot of toys, so they've got a lot of you know, most of them have a mobile phone."