Kids are growing up faster these days. None of this stuff even crossed my mind in HS. College now...that is a different story.
Kids should be educated at least so they have the knowledge. And as for "drinking safely," I don't know how other schools handle it, but in 8th grade we had to watch a film about the results of drinking and driving...I came this close (fore finger and thumb are really close together) to puking. None of us (brother, sister or myself) drank or had sex while in HS, not sure what was different in my family as opposed to others who did partake in those kinds of activities.