The next generation are being urged not to risk their lives for the sake of a few drinks.

This month marks Alcohol Awareness Month and young people are being urged to take responsibility for their own actions by not drink-driving.

CADA (the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention) this week launched a campaign to reduce underage drinking.

Culture and Social Rehabilitation Minister Neletha Butterfield said: "The younger a person is when they begin consuming alcohol, the more likely they are to develop an addiction to alcohol. Parents and adults must take responsibility for making it less accessible to our young people."

In a 2007 survey of 3,000 13- to 18-year-olds, two-thirds said they had tried alcohol, some from the age of 11. The Minister also revealed that last year, of the 13 people killed in road fatalities, 70 percent were over the legal limit for alcohol or under the influence of drugs.

"Even one or two drinks impair a driver's judgment and reaction time," said Ms Butterfield.

"We must today pledge that we will discourage young people from using alcohol."

Ms Butterfield joined CADA chairman Anthony Santucci and Hamilton Mayor Charles Gosling in launching Alcohol Awareness Month.

Students from Elliott, Paget, West Pembroke and Heron Bay primary schools were also present at City Hall, representative of the 319 children who have completed CADA'S eight-week Life Skills course over the past four years.

Mr. Santucci said: "Our objectives for Alcohol Awareness Month this year are to highlight personal responsibility to reduce the incidence of underage drinking, and drinking and driving in Bermuda.

"We want to show the value of choosing life and making the decision of what you will do, and how you will prevent drinking and driving before you get into that situation.

"We believe that starting with our young people, we are equipping the next generation to make the right decisions early on in life and to continue doing so. In the meantime, we work with adults to change their mindset and behaviours."

Mr. Santucci also outlined the goals of CADA, which is funded by the Department for National Drug Control.

The organisation aims to: reduce drink-driving; discourage underage drinking; increase the life skills of young people; reduce the sale of alcohol to those already inebriated; raise community awareness of responsible alcohol behaviour; lobby for a new alcohol authority to enforce responsible sale and advertising of alcohol; and to lobby for changes to Bermuda's Liquor License and Road Traffic legislation.