Mercer Island Teens & Drugs (Bellevue, Sammamish: house, best schools, to live)

[ECOmason]

I am considering a move to Mercer Island, but I read about a lot of teen drug/alcohol abuse in the Mercer Island Blotter. Are these isolated incidents or is this becoming a problem? And are drugs/alcohol less of a problem in Medina and Bellevue (the other areas I am considering)?

[tudorjason]

The truth is that there is just as much alcohol and drugs in other places than in Mercer Island, Medina, or Bellevue. It's just more apparent because the media likes to report it. Perhaps the teens have better access because they can get money easier, but that doesn't mean there is more substance abuse than elsewhere.

[Ira500]

I agree. I wouldn't say it's a serious problem in any of those places. Still, drugs and alcohol exist, even in prestigious private schools. I wouldn't say it's prevelant, but the news media does love to report on these things in places you wouldn't expect.
Of the three, I'd expect that Medina would be the least likely place to have teen drug and alcohol abuse.

[eskercurve]

Reminds me of an old 90s anti-drug ad:

"Studies show that 40% of all pot-smoking teens live in the city. Care to guess where the other 60% live?"

[ECOmason]

Thank You EVERYONE for your replies. I kind of thought as much but I thought I would ask just to make sure.

[ECOmason]

One last question - if you had $6M to spend on a house, would you choose: Mercer Island, Bellevue or Medina and why?

[lynxis]

most people in this state believe that drugs should be legalized. So....your concerns will be anywhere

[Hemlock140]

Drugs are everywhere. When you read news about Mercer Island, every drug bust is big news because there just isn't anything else to talk about that's newsworthy. They have the best schools and a great foundation that raises money for education. I'd take Mercer Island over Medina, simply because it's more of a "normal" place to raise kids. Remember that Bill gates lives in Medina, I would think that kids growing up there will get a shock when they see the real world. Bellevue is nice but has it's problems like any "big" city. I had a business there for 16 years and saw homeless people sleeping in strip malls, teen gang wanabees, drug deals and burglaries, including my shop.
It's probably one of the safest cities in the country but not perfect.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by ECOmason

One last question - if you had $6M to spend on a house, would you choose: Mercer Island, Bellevue or Medina and why?

Definitely Bellevue, either in the Enatai area or a Lake Sammamish waterfront home-- they're older areas with a great feel. I grew up in the Lakemont/Summit area, didn't really care for it. Don't really care for the other areas of Bellevue... the only part of Bellevue I haven't really explored is the Newport Shores. But given how tedious and crowded the Factoria exit can be, I don't think I'd like to live there.

Medina is too Old Blood/Hoity toity for me. I could try for the North End of Mercer Island, but the rest of it is remote for me.

[Xanathos]

Originally Posted by ECOmason

One last question - if you had $6M to spend on a house, would you choose: Mercer Island, Bellevue or Medina and why?

I chose Mercer Island. Bellevue wasn't really a consideration for me (just too developed and too much traffic to contend with), and Medina wasn't as convenient to get to/around as Mercer Island is. While it would have been cool to say I live in the same city as Bill Gates, it isn't a big enough deal to where I would put up with some of the annoyances of being there to do so. The other house I was looking at before I ultimately bought the one I have was in Medina, however.