Kids these days… so *sober*.

ABC (the Australian network) muses on the next generation… wondering why the kids are avoiding alcohol nowadays:

The findings of a survey of more than 2,500 young people published today in the medical journal Addiction shows half of Australian teens do not drink.

Between 2001 and 2010 the number of teens aged 14 to 17 abstaining from alcohol rose from 33 per cent to more than 50 per cent, the research shows.

The study looked at 1,477 teens in 2001 and 1,075 teens in 2010.

Study author Dr Michael Livingston from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spoke with the ABC today and says the trend away from drinking alcohol is widespread and it also reflects similar studies both in Australia and overseas.

“It’s really happening across the whole youth culture,” he said.

“These kids are drinking less; they’re not taking drugs.”

Yeah, just in case you were wondering. They’re straight.

Go figure.