Yellowknife (Feb 10/06) - It's a dream many students have, but few are able to realize.

Forty-five Grade 9 students at St. Patrick high school were issued student cards with an incorrect year of birth printed.

The cards, which should have read 1991, were printed as 1987, making some students appear to be 19 years of age, the legal age to buy alcohol and cigarettes in the Northwest Territories.

Students who are 18 or older can also vote in federal and municipal elections.

Principal Johnnie Bowden said he became aware of the situation when the person handing out the cards informed him there was a discrepancy.

"This is a serious situation, but we have the students' names and have recalled the cards."

Bowden is giving the students two weeks to return the misprinted cards. If they are not returned, he will take steps to see that they are.

About half the cards have been returned so far. Bowden said he did not issue an advisory to local businesses because of the low number of faulty cards and because he believes the situation was contained.

Lydia Bardak, Justice Committee coordinator, said she has spoken to several students who received the misprinted cards.

"I've had kids telling me that they were able to buy cigarettes with the fake identification."

She thinks there should have been a public advisory as soon as the school realized what had happened.

Downtown Reddi Mart employee Kieu Le says a student card is a legitimate form of identification when buying cigarettes. She was not aware that underage students had received misprinted student cards.

Albert Eggenberger, manager of the downtown liquor store, said he prefers to take identification from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Any other card with valid picture identification would be subject to a judgement call at the register, he said. He was also unaware of the misprinted cards.

A concerned parent with a child who received a misprinted card contacted Yellowknifer.

The parent wished to remain anonymous, but said the situation should have been taken more seriously by the school than it has been.

The cards were issued Jan. 30 when the students came to school to pick up their time tables and register for courses.

Though Sir John Franklin high school uses the same company to print student cards, Josten's, they gave out the cards in September and have not reported any problems.

A spokesperson for Josten's said the company notified St. Pat's about the problem and said they don't know how the problem happened.