Residents were seeing red at City Hall today — but all for a good cause.

PRIDE Bermuda launched its Red Ribbon awareness week this afternoon, which aims to celebrate the parents, families, organisations, teachers, religious communities and service agencies that play a part in preventing youth drug abuse.

Residents were urged to attend today’s event and wear red to show their support for the group — with the first 100 to do so receiving a free lunch.

Premier Michael Dunkley helped to launch the celebration and praised those working to protect Bermuda’s children from illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

“I am pleased to see so many people wearing red in support of this most worthy cause,” he said. “Red Ribbon Week is an annual international celebration of prevention that serves to bring attention to the drug problem and provides a time for us to focus on drug prevention and education.

“This special week is a time to help build community awareness regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. It is a time for gratitude for all the lives that remain drug free.

“It is a time to pledge to live a safe, drug-free life and it is also a time to remember those we have lost in the fight against drugs. I would also like to use it as a time to thank PRIDE Bermuda for all the work they do in helping our people to live healthy, drug-free lives.

“Today’s event also offers a chance for me to remind people that the Liquor Licence Amendment Act came into effect on October 1 and saw the new regime for mandatory ID carding.

“The aim of the Act is to add to the safeguards required to prevent underage drinking. Underage drinking and its associated problems have profound negative consequences for minors, their families, their communities, and the society as a whole.

“This Act will complement efforts by organisations like PRIDE, providing the enforcement safety net also required as part of reversing any trend towards alcohol abuse in the community. The Bermuda Assessment and Referral Centre (BARC) found that some 307 persons sought assistance for substance abuse and dependence in 2013.

“In May we released the National Drug Control Master Plan and Action Plan 2013-2017, which represents the second National Strategy on Drugs.

“The National Drug Control Plan is based on an extensive stakeholder and community-wide needs assessment and is intended to implement policies and programmes that will reduce the harms caused by alcohol and other drug use.

“The plan supports a comprehensive focus on approaches that address drug-use prevention; drug abuse treatment; research, legislation, law enforcement and interdiction; protection of the borders; drug supply reduction; international cooperation; and monitoring and evaluation.

“The harms resulting from illicit drugs in our country are consistently identified as contributing to our social ills.

“It is my belief that we need to be united in our vision for a healthy and drug-free community with each sector of the community playing its role. I want to take this opportunity to salute our treatment service providers who are on the front lines of helping those who are suffering with addiction.”

• A full report about the event will be in tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.