Fort Simpson (Oct 27/06) - It was a "wild summer" for teens getting their fill of alcohol in Fort Simpson, according to the principal of Thomas Simpson high school.

Principal Robert Byatt said he's spoken to several teens individually and in groups about underage drinking, and as far as he's concerned, the problem is getting worse.

"I believe there has been an increase," he said.

Byatt said that while the number of teens getting drunk, and doing it publicly, has increased, those hitting the bottle are also getting younger.

"The teens are 12 or 13 and absolutely drunk," he said.

Out of a group of about 10 youth all age 14 or under, four told the Deh Cho Drum they had been offered alcohol by an older person. Out of those four, two said they drank alcohol.

"People that I don't know ask me," said a nine-year-old boy.

"My older friends offer me (alcohol)," said a 12-year-old teen.

"I get it from my best-friend," said another teen, age 14.

The RCMP, however, aren't so sure underage drinking is on the rise.

"I don't think it's up, but I do see it as a consistent problem," said Sgt. Cliff McKay.

"Every few weeks you see a young person in court for underage drinking," he said.

According to McKay, teens have found themselves in some dangerous situations over the last few months thanks to overindulging in alcohol.

The most recent was a teen who smashed his hand through the NWT Power Corp. building window while drunk, egged by onlookers who were also drinking Oct. 13.

Over the summer, a youth tried to commit suicide while drunk, only to be saved from drowning in the river thanks to his mother.

Even youth visiting the village weren't immune to alcohol's lure.

In the past month, a Trout Lake teen was medevaced to Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife because he was comatose from alcohol blood poisoning, said McKay.

The RCMP are primarily concerned with the bootleggers, or those supplying booze to teens illegally.

McKay said the courts realize this is a problem, and members of the community have been fined in the amount of $3,000, $5,000, and $6,000.

The problem is, said McKay, getting the kids to talk about who supplied the liquor.

Often teens are ostracized for "ratting out" the person who gave them the alcohol.

In an effort to get the community talking about the problem, Byatt wrote a letter to the village council and the school district.

At the Oct. 16 council meeting, Mayor Duncan Canvin and the councillors agreed underage drinking is a problem. "I've certainly noticed a lot of it," said Canvin.

Coun. Anne McKee said, "You can't stop it, but you have to make it more difficult."

Some even mentioned trying to enforce the village's curfew.

Still on the books, village bylaw 632 states any minor, under the age of 16 cannot be in a public place from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or a person 16 or older designated by the parent or guardian.

Those found violating this bylaw will be given a warning and be escorted back to their home or social services.

The second, third, and fourth offences are fines of $100, $200 or $300.

Currently the curfew is not enforced. Byatt said he thinks the solution to underage drinking is to make people aware of the problem.

As adults, he said bootleggers should know better than to give a minor alcohol.

McKay said bootleggers don't think about the consequences of their actions, but that doesn't mean they won't be held accountable should something happen to the teen. "Is it worth it?" he asked.

McKay said parents need to check up on their kids along with talking to them about things like drinking.