Alcohol is the “drug of choice” for Bermuda’s student population, a charity figurehead has warned ahead of an initiative to curb underage drinking.

More than half of the island’s under-18s admit to having tried alcohol (52.6 per cent), according to the Department of National Drug Control’s most recent school survey in 2015, while 18 per cent describe themselves as regular drinkers.

“Drinking has become a social norm here,” said Judith Burgess, executive director of anti-drug charity Pride Bermuda and chairwoman of the Bermuda Coalition, a consortium of organisations tackling antisocial behaviour, violence and substance abuse.

“We’re hoping to bring awareness to the dangers and the challenges of young people drinking,” Ms Burgess added.

A town hall meeting will broach the subject on Thursday, November 3 in Hamilton’s Argus Building, organised by the Bermuda Coalition, the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the DNDC.

Entry is free to the event, which begins at 5.45pm and will kick-start a series of meetings on alcohol consumption among youths.

Speaking at the session will be representatives from the Department of Health, the DNDC, the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Police Service.

“We believe that if you use alcohol prior to the age of 19, that the chances of you becoming an alcoholic are greatly increased,” Ms Burgess said.

“You’re bringing a very dangerous drug into your body, which has not yet matured, and I don’t know if people really know what’s actually happening.”

Last year’s survey also revealed that young people were more likely to drink at home than anywhere else.

“I strongly believe that greater awareness will allow parents to set stricter guidelines on alcohol for their children,” Ms Burgess said.

“We need to do a better job of knowing what our young people are doing and what we have in our households.”

Senator Jeff Baron, the Minister of National Security, said that the DNDC’s statistics showed “a clear indication that underage drinking is a problem in Bermuda”.

“The Ministry of National Security supports all community efforts to address this issue, and applauds the Bermuda Coalition for its efforts at the community level,” he added.

As part of Alcohol Awareness Month, which took place in April, Michael Dunkley described alcohol use and abuse as “one of the greatest challenges facing Bermuda’s young people”.

The Premier also pointed out the link between drinking and problematic behaviours such as violence, road fatalities, unsafe sex and educational failure.

“Let’s be very clear: parents are the most important role models in their children’s lives and we urge them to set a positive example and get involved,” Mr Dunkley said.

“Know their friends, know where they are going and what they are doing. Create clear and consistent expectations, and enforce them.

“Discuss the consequences and show that you care enormously about your children and the choices they make.”