I think you have to take that in context though, it is only usefull information if you have another province or country to compare it against. You are correct though it is interesting reading, you failed to highlight the fact though that the trend of drugs/alcohol abuse is actually declining, and it would be interesting to see how much the figures have changed from 2007 to 2010.
On a positive note My 3 kids have all done school in NS, two have graduated with honours and the third is about to go into Senior High, All have positive experiences with the schooling here in NS and say it is a vast improvement in general to the schools in the UK from a social aspect.

To the Original poster, some things in NS are better some are worse, I would advise a recce trip as an essential aspect of decision making before you commit to come, If you trawl this site a little you will find numerous accounts of peoples experiences on Recce's and from those of us living here. I believe in the main these accounts paint a very positive picture of NS, but at the end of the day everyone has different expectations, so a visit will pay great dividends.

If you want to talk PM me and we can arrange a time to telephone.

I don't think you do have to take it in context to another country. It clearly states that a good % of students in NS partake in Booze, Durgs, and Sex.

I do agree the stats show a decline but i just wanted to point out the fact that if the OP's main reason to leave the UK is because of the Booze culture, for the sake of his kids, they may be disappointed. I'm a firm believer in emigrating with a pull, not a push. Move for the beauty, opportunity, and the change needed to kick-start vigour into your life, etc. Don't have moving away from silo'd culture as your main reason otherwise the chance of disappointment is pretty high in my opinion.

Great to hear your kids loved the schooling. Hopefully they weren't part of the % mentioned in the stats

Man, they tell me that your spellnig ability is the first thing to go when you start using durgs.

So am i correct that you are basing your comments on hearsay or what you have read rather than experiance?

I'm currently in the UK. As I speak, I'm watching a show on Channel 4 called, Our Drugs War. It is discussing the drug trade/use in the UK; how pervasive drug use is and the effect it's having. I didn't know this, but Edinburgh is the drug capital of all Europe. The show is now focusing on Edinburgh and it's pretty bad from what they're showing.
Might be bad in certain parts of Canada, but can't be any worse than here.

Must be those durgs, your splelling is as bad as mine.

Yep, i'm basing it purely on statistics on the 2007 Student Drug Use Survey in the Atlantic Provinces involving the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection. Not hearsay. Fact.

Do you have experience of all students in Nova Scotia?

My point is, as i've said, move for the beauty, different opportunities, and the change needed to kick-start vigour into your life, etc. Don't have moving away from silo'd culture as your main reason otherwise the chance of disappointment is pretty high, in my opinion.

Nope but I have experience of Nova Scotia, which it would appear you do not? If I am correct, perhaps it is better to let those that actually know ( rather than what they have read ) to comment?

That seems quite normal to me. I'd fit in the "averages". Pot, Booze, sex and teenagers? Where doesn't that exist?

OK let's throw in a bit about Scotland's drinking habits....

from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Rele...09/02/20161722

Industry sales figures suggest Scotland has the eighth highest alcohol consumption level in the world.

The country drank nearly 50 million litres of pure alcohol in 2007 - equivalent to 11.8 litres per capita for every person aged over 16. This is considerably higher than England and Wales, which had an average consumption figure of 9.9 litres per capita.

For Scottish adults aged over 18, moreover, the figure was even higher at 12.2 litres of pure alcohol per person, while the figure for England and Wales was 10.3 litres.

Scotland's pure alcohol per capita figure of 11.8 litres is equivalent to 570 pints of 4 per cent beer, nearly 500 pints of strong 5 per cent lager, 42 bottles of vodka or 125 bottles of wine - enough for every single adult to exceed the sensible drinking guidelines for men of 21 units every week of the year.

And the difference between Scotland's consumption and that of England and Wales of 189 units per person equates to 80-90 pints of beer or 21 bottles of wine more per head.

Taking these figures alongside Scottish Health Survey estimates suggests that around 50 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women may be drinking above weekly limits.

Canada's total was 7.8 litres.

This is not just about students getting a bit drunk sometimes, it's about the engrained drink culture here. I think this is what the OP is looking to get away from?

Also from Glasgow and just back from 6 weeks staying in Brenton Street - just off Spring Garden in downtown Halifax.

Being from Glasgow I was surprised not to see one bit of violent behaviour - yes people were drunk and noisy on a Fri and Sat night but did not have the NED/CHAV aggression. Which I think may be what the OP is referring to as the drinking chav/ned culture.

Obvioulsy I was only there for a short period of time and locals may have different views, but I felt a lot safer than I would have in Glasgow City Centre

Cant wait to sell house and more over for good.

The biggest problem I forsee is that there are very few paying jobs for firefighters in Nova Scotia. Most firefighters are volunteers.

hi

we moved to NS in June 2009, have no regrets, have 2 children 7 and 3,

Happy for you to get in touch if you would like any more info, my OH is a volunteer fire fighter for our local town of Stewiacke and I am a medical responder, as another poster mentioned ,most fire fighters outside Halifax and Truro are volunteer.

I have experience of Edinburgh, and haven't seen any indication of the drugs capital of Europe.

Still, it's nice to know at least somebody knows exactly what goes on in NS, since the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection, and the students partaking in these alleged activities clearly do not.

Still, you're obviously missing my point so instead of repeating myself, i'll leave it with the OP to set REALISTIC expectations of their move.

But the point is, it DOES happen in NS. Kids drink, take drugs, have sex, etc. It's unrealistic to believe you can move across the world and rid yourself of that culture. Drink, drugs, and sex is part of many western teen cultures whether we like it or not.

As i said earlier. To have the above as the main reason to move across the world is potentially setting yourself up for disappointment or a few years of burying your head in the sand.

I'm pretty sure rural Scotland/England would offer what the OP is looking for and is much easier to achieve. What the OP needs to be clear about is; "What is the pull for me and my family to NS". Not the push.

NS is a beautiful place and has different lifestyle opportunities. This is great for those looking for it. Just don't expect a decent % kids to not engage in booze, sex, and drugs.

I am not saying it doesn't happen, I'm just saying the scale is different. The feel of the place is very different. The attitude of people - kids included - is very different. By the way in Glasgow it's not just kids drinking/taking drugs that is the problem, it's adults too. The other week there was a stabbing in the changing rooms of an upmarket fitness club near my work - it's in a nice area of Glasgow. But drug dealers use it, and one decided to stab another, in the changing rooms. This is what I'd like to leave behind, and I don't see why this being one of the main reasons is 'setting myself up for disappointment'. I lived in Canada for 3 months, my OH lived in Kansas for a year, and we both felt it was miles better than life in the UK.

The problem with rural.. Scotland at least, is that there is very little work there. And the commute is either a traffic jam for at least 1.5hrs, or it is impossible because you're on tiny twisty roads and it takes too long to be feasible. You can have rural in NS and be 5mins from the highway, 20mins of easy driving from Halifax. I've seen quite a few people say that you shouldn't be 'pushed' away from the UK, but 'pulled' to Canada, but it's quite likely to be both. Obviously there has to be a pull, because people pick Canada for some reason! But there also has to be a push. Through the centuries people emigrate because they are pushed from their own country to look for something better...