Motorists who drink and drive are committing suicide – but the message is not getting through as accidents involving alcohol continue to increase.

That is why today Anthony Santucci, Chairman of the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, is urging everyone to observe the third No Alcohol Day today – and stay off the booze.

However last night it appeared some restaurants and bars were not so sure about the initiative because it falls on a Friday and they fear losing money on alcohol not sold.

While at least six Hamilton business said they had not heard about the initiative, Coconut Rock Restaurant said they would be supporting 'No Alcohol Day' by serving a new soft drink 'Ting'.

Others like Casey's Cocktail Lounge, Captain's Lounge and Flannagans' all said they regularly offer free sodas to the designated drivers.

But responding to the concerns of the bar owners, Mr. Santucci said the day was more about the public's self control and taking a minute to think about alcohol consumption and not about individual businesses.

He said: "It's just the mindset. People who drink and drive don't commit accidents they commit suicide and should be reported as such.

"Why Friday? When CADA'S board came up with the idea three years ago we chose it because everybody goes out that night and drinks.

"So it's going to require effort to not drink. It's not really about the businesses it's about people's restraint — drink responsibly and to ask yourself why you cannot on one Friday do something without a drink."

As part of the No Alcohol Day CADA is pairing up with two schools — Whitney and Mount St. Agnes — to distribute the bottles wrapped in safety messages.

First the water bottles will be given to 300 students at Whitney Institute Middle School's morning assembly. Then after school students from Mount Saint Agnes School's Students Against Drink Driving (SADD) will help hand out the bottles in Hamilton.

The partnership is CADA'S effort to educate not only the youth, but also their parents as CADA hopes to stop underage drinking.

Mr. Santucci said: "Alcohol is the gateway drug. Most of our addicts started with alcohol because there's no social stigma against drinking.

"When I first started I used to tell the story of a mother who gave her baby beer. She used to put a bottle nipple on the beer and feed it to her baby.

"When I was telling this story on a talk show, she called in and said she didn't put the nipple on the bottle, but would just feed it to the baby."

The problem, according to Mr. Santucci, is that drinking in Bermuda starts too young and it's too socially acceptable.

By ten-years-old, the average Bermudian child has had his or her first drink of alcohol and by the time they are 16, six out of every ten teenagers have tried alcohol.

Starting to drink before the age of 15 leads to teenagers being five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence.

So co-ordinating with the schools for efforts like the water bottle messages today all help in communicating the message at a younger and younger age.

Mr. Santucci added: "To delay the first drink will be better for them. Who has greater influence on the parents then the kids?

"We are really excited about this new Campaign. CADA continues to look for new ways to get our message out to the public."

Visit the CADA website: www.cada.bm or call them at: 295-5982 to tell them stories about your activities without alcohol.