Students are carrying guns into schools, according to a Government survey of the Island’s youth.The National School Survey found 1.4 percent of students had taken a handgun to school in the past year; 2.9 percent said they’d carried a gun in that same period.Justice Minister Kim Wilson described the findings as “disturbing” even if the figures were inflated or exaggerated by students.“One gun is high,” she said. “The reality of the situation is that we know the times we are living in.“Now that the survey has been completed, all of the areas will be looked at. That is an area of concern. The great thing about a survey is once you have completed it, it’s not going to sit on a shelf.”The survey was administered to students between the ages of ten and 18 attending public, private and home schools on the Island.A total of 3,182 students (53 percent female and 46 percent male), completed the self-administered questionnaire. The majority of respondents were black (62.7 percent), and English was the primary language spoken (95.9 percent).The findings, released yesterday, also revealed that more than three-quarters of the students surveyed reported use of at least one drug in their lifetime.Overall, the number of students who admitted using drugs fell since the last survey of students was performed in 2007. Lifetime alcohol use fell from 66.9 percent to 54.9 percent, marijuana use fell from 23.9 percent to 21.2 percent and cigarette use halved from 21.9 percent to 10.7 percent.Around one-fifth of those surveyed (19.1 percent), said they had drunk alcohol in the last month, compared to 37.5 percent in 2007. The current use of other drugs similarly fell, with 7.9 percent smoking marijuana in the last month compared to 12.8 percent in 2007.The use of other drugs was less common. Less than one percent of surveyed students said they had tried ecstasy, hallucinogens, crack, cocaine or heroin.Drug use was more common among older students while younger pupils preferred to use inhalants (the fumes from chemicals such as paint, glue or diesel) to get high.Senator Wilson said: “[Director of the Department for National Drug Control Joanne] Dean and her team, as well as organisations such as PRIDE, CADA, they will have the results as well and we will all collaboratively do what we can to address the concerns that were raised in the statistics.”The Senator stressed the importance of parents speaking with their children and setting good examples.“The role of parents is so incredibly crucial,” she said. “It’s critical because we are their role models. They are going to do what we do.”The report states that data collected through school surveys have a high level of reliability and validity, however previous surveys indicate that young people may exaggerate behaviour associated with adults such as drinking habits.Students taking part in the survey also admitted taking part in antisocial activities.Twenty-one percent claimed to have attacked someone with the intent of seriously hurting them in the last year.According to the survey, 16 percent of students were suspended in the last year, while four percent were arrested. Nine percent said they had been drunk at school, seven percent said they had tried to steal a vehicle and five percent said they had sold illegal drugs.The survey listed school opportunities, school rewards and family rewards of pro-social involvement as successful protective factors keeping students away from drugs.Chief factors leading students to drugs were listed as sensation seeking, transitions in life, friends using drugs and family histories of antisocial behaviour.Commenting on the results of the survey overall, Sen Wilson said that school and parental involvement has had a positive effect on the rate of drug usage, but other factors are slowing progress.“It is clear that our parents and schools are having a positive impact by supporting and rewarding positive social involvement,” she said.“While we are aware that young people seek excitement, and are impacted by peer pressure and family history, the survey results show that our young people are being negatively impacted by having to change schools and home locations.“This report is one of the first steps in making us more aware of the current patterns of drug consumption among youth and the involvement in antisocial behaviours. Bermuda’s youth must receive clear and concise messages that no use of alcohol tobacco or other drugs is acceptable.”Sen Wilson noted that the results of the survey also seemed to link drinking to sexual activity. She noted that 46.3 percent of those who had tried alcohol had also had sex, while none of the students who abstained from alcohol claimed to have engaged in sexual intercourse.The survey also questioned students about their use of energy drinks for the first time.“When they compiled the information for the survey, a lot of it is based on information that they are hearing from parents and children about what is prevalent in society,” Sen Wilson said.“I think, perhaps in other jurisdictions, energy drinks would have never been featured, but we are dealing with it here in Bermuda because that seems to be a prevalent matter. Any time when our children are engaged in either illicit or legal activities that could have health consequences, than it’s a concern.“You mix it with alcohol and you have this mix that is a dangerous concoction. So I think the kids need to recognise, we need to recognise as a community that we have to address these issues. Not just the illegal, illicit drugs but the licit drugs as well.“I don’t know that children fully realise that their bodies haven’t fully developed. It’s okay for you and I to have a cup of coffee. I can’t start without coffee, but our bodies are mature and have developed. Children are still developing, so if they are drinking these Red Bulls and these other types of energy drinks with so much caffeine, it is going to cause heart palpitations.”She said that education is an important part of battling drug use among the Island’s youth, emphasising the important role that families play.“As parents, we must appreciate the importance of talking with our children about alcohol and drug misuse,” she said.“Just was we inoculate our children against illnesses like measles, we can also help immunise them against alcohol and drug use by giving them the facts before they are in a risky situation.“When our children do not feel comfortable talking to their parents about such matters, they are far more likely to seek answers elsewhere, even if their sources are unreliable.”Ms Dean agreed, saying: “It’s interesting that children are telling us that they do listen to what their parents say. Other surveys that we have done have confirmed that.“We have done some focus groups with this age group and they definitely listen to their parents. They may not act like it, but they all reported that it has a big impact on their decision making, so it’s important that we just keep at it.”