Schoolchildren are smoking pot in record numbers -- sending alarm bells ringing in Government.

As many as 28 percent of kids aged 10-19 have used marijuana, a startling survey reveals.

And three out of every four who have used the drug did so by the age of 14.

Heroin -- the killer drug which Police warn has hit the streets again -- is also being taken by more youngsters, statistics show.

The Bermuda Secondary School survey was carried out for the National Drug Commission (NDC), and makes several recommendations. Among them: The NDC should probe the pot problem, and hammer out a policy paper.

Anti-drugs classes for students.

An examination of "social and economic factors'' leading to drug use; and A survey of adults to find out why some take drugs, setting a bad example to their children.

The NDC has announced it would be following up this last recommendation.

This week, Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said he was disturbed -- but not surprised -- by the figures.

Marijuana was increasingly available to young people, and often led to harder drugs, he stressed.

"It is almost as if it is part of young people's culture. We need to increase our information to young people. We have to do more.'' He said marijuana produced a mental lethargy as youngsters got "high''.

"I find the increase in its use very disconcerting.'' The survey was carried out in April by Mr. Walton Brown Jr. and his firm, Research Innovations Ltd.

It was completed in July, although the findings have only just been released.

Some 3,000 secondary school students were asked to fill in confidential questionnaires handed to them by teachers.

"Every student at school the day of the survey was given a questionnaire. It wasn't a sample of students -- it was more a census,'' explained Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown said the survey's most striking findings related to pot.

It was revealed students using marijuana at least once had risen to 28 percent from the 21.4 percent in 1991.

And use within the past 12 months was now 20.2 percent, compared to 14 percent over the same period three years ago.

The survey also showed the percentage of users who smoked pot within the past 30 days had jumped from 9.7 to 15.1.

"I think many people discount any health risk associated with marijuana,'' said Mr. Brown.

"That is one possible explanation for the rise in its use.'' Mr. Brown added many people who took marijuana also reported others in their household took the drug as well.

"There was a striking correlation between the two.'' This was underlined in the 63-question survey.

"Students' reasons for deciding to try marijuana are important to identify as they can inform appropriate prevention initiatives,'' the survey states.

Survey finds disturbing results about student drug use "Half of those students who have tried marijuana (53.6 percent) did so out of curiosity, while one in ten (9.8 percent) did so because their friends were using it.'' It adds: "More significant here is the clear relationship between students' use of marijuana and their knowledge of marijuana use in their household: those students who see members in their home smoking marijuana, or believe them to be doing so, are far more likely to smoke themselves.'' The survey also questioned youngsters about cocaine.

It found there had been a decline in lifetime usage from 2.3 percent in 1991 to 1.8 percent in 1994.

Those who reported using cocaine over the past year stood at 1.4 percent -- the same as 1991.

But, more worryingly, more than half of those students who have tried the drug did so by age 12.

Of heroin, the survey reveals lifetime use has risen from 1.6 percent in 1991 to 2.2 percent in 1994.

Some 1.6 percent of pupils said they had taken heroin over the past 12 months.

This compares with 1.2 percent in 1991. Eight of 10 students trying heroin did so by the age of 14, the survey adds.

On alcohol, the survey has some good news.

"Alcohol use by students is on the decline for the first time since the surveys were initiated,'' it states.

"The percentage of students who have tried alcohol at least once is down from 76.4 percent in 1991 to 72.3 percent in 1994.'' NDC Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Eugenie Simmons described alcohol as still the number one problem, although concern remained about illicit drugs.

The rise in marijuana use could be linked to increased availability of it, she said. "Statistics also show there is an interesting correlation between the increase in marijuana use and the decrease in alcohol use.'' But Mrs. Simmons believed the Lions Quest schools programme was benefiting youngsters, and driving home the anti-drugs message.

There was now, for instance, a greater awareness of the dangers of cocaine.

"Bermuda is certainly taking the right approach.'' Mrs. Simmons said the Island was more advanced than other countries -- including the Caribbean and parts of America -- in fighting drugs.

"We are well ahead of the game in putting a strategy in place,'' she stressed.

Mrs. Simmons, however, pointed out some rethinking was needed on the drug the problem.

There was evidence of a worrying number of drug users who were from privileged backgrounds.

"We can't just look at social and economic deprivation as a factor.''