SUBSTANCE ABUSE: SEATTLE'S HIGH

War on drugs? Please. This is Seattle. You know how we roll. You
don't? According to one recent nationwide survey, we're not the sorts
to be high on life.

If you live here, you're among the country's second-most-frequent
users of some illicit substance or the other. The National Survey on
Drug Use and Health released this month shows that among the 15
largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country, Seattle ranks
second in drug use. Note that the study considers marijuana an
illicit drug, along with the likes of crack and heroin.

Done between 2002 and 2005, the study asks respondents ages 12 and up
to report past-month substance (ab)use, and 9.6 percent of us
reported that we'd used something naughty. The national average was
8.1 percent. Yup. We get high, then we rob banks (Seattle had the
fourth-highest number of bank robberies in the U.S. last year). If
you're wondering who out-toked, -smoked, -popped and -snorted us, it
was San Francisco, at 12.7 percent.

When it came to drinking and tobacco use, we're a far more demure
city. Seattle tied Miami for eighth place. So 21.7 percent of us
reported a binge-drinking episode in the past month. And you thought
we'd never have anything in common with Floridians. The study defines
binge drinking as having five or more drinks on the same occasion --
for example, lunch -- within a couple of hours. We're also eighth for
tobacco use at 21.4 percent. Need something to feel smug about? Here
it is: At least we don't binge-drink as much as Chicago (25.6
percent) or smoke as much as Detroit (27.4 percent). And if that
doesn't make you feel better, there's always happy hour.