Alarming spike in schoolies binge drinking
Police have given this year’s Victor Harbor schoolies a good report card for their behavior, but volunteer ambulance officers say there has been an alarming spike in the number of binge drinking cases.
Thousands of school leavers left Victor Harbor this morning after a big weekend celebrating the end of their high school days, but St John Ambulance is worried their boozing could dampen their experience.
Police say organisers are getting the event right, despite the 31 arrests over the weekend.
“Certainly in comparison to schoolies events of the past that’s a low number and we’re pleased it’s being kept at that,” police commander for Operation Schoolies 2012, Superintendant John Bruhn, said.
But Sharyn Mitten from St John Ambulance said the memories for many school leavers will be spoiled by an over-indulgence in alcohol.
“We treated 140 young adults last night and 140 the night before, we haven’t seen stats like that in recent times,” Ms Mitten said.
They say many young people consume large amounts of alcohol on free buses before arriving at dry zones, leaving St John ambulance volunteers to pick up the pieces.
St John is also quick to remind people that if the hadn’t had their funding reinstated by the State Government in October, they wouldn’t have even been at the schoolies event.
“You just wonder where all these young adults would have gone if we weren’t there,” Ms Mitten said.
