Programs, speakers to curb underage drinking

With the official start of Leavers Week yesterday, 8000 students are expected to head down to Dunsborough and another 1000 to Rottnest to unwind.

The 2011 Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report found 74 per cent of students aged between 12 and 17 had consumed alcohol before, double the amount that it was 20 years ago.

The survey also found of those who drank in the last week, more than one-third (36.2 per cent) drank at risky levels for a single occasion.

Police have tried to get the message across to youths by launching projects to teach them about the dangers of drug and alcohol use.