But alcohol remains the drug of choice, according to the National Drug Commission's latest student survey.

The agency says, however, the results also show that progress is being made in the war against drug abuse.

It is spearheading a community-wide approach beginning with a National Prevention Conference in July.

"We are definitely making some progress,'' said the NDC's research officer Julie Dunstan, who conducted the survey. "But I also think there's still a lot of work to be done.'' The survey which was conducted in October last year among middle and senior school students shows that the rate of students who have ever smoked cigarettes has declined steadily since 1994 when cigarettes were first included in the survey.

Just over 24 percent of students reported trying marijuana as compared to almost 30 percent who said that they had tried cigarettes.

In 1994 25 percent of those surveyed said that they had tried marijuana, compared to 43 percent who said they had tried cigarettes.

About one in eight students are marijuana users as compared to less than one in ten who report that they currently smoke cigarettes.

And by far the most common drug consumed by students today is alcohol at 24 percent.

Almost 61 percent of those surveyed said they had tried alcohol.

See also Page 4 editorial Survey measures slight drop in drug use Student drinkers, at 27.6 percent of those surveyed show a slight increase over 1997 figures but a substantial drop from the close to 53 percent recorded in 1991.

Students were also asked when they first used each of the three major drugs -- alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.

Average age of first uses were: 10 years, nine months for alcohol, 11 and a half years for cigarettes and 12 and a half for marijuana.

The use of other drugs -- crack, cocaine, LSD, Ecstasy, heroin and prescription drugs -- was also measured.

The responses suggest very few students experiment with crack, cocaine, heroin, LSD and Ecstasy and that misuse of prescription drugs is most popular after alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.

Ten percent of the students reported ever having tried prescription drugs and just over four percent said they were current users.

Overall, the figures show a general decline in substance use by Bermuda's youth and suggest efforts to prevent cigarette smoking are having some success.

Initial results of the survey, in which 3,698 students participated, were announced at a press conference yesterday at the Ocean View Golf Club.

Fifty three percent of those surveyed were girls. Broken down by race, 48 percent said they were black, 23 percent reported their race as white. Twenty three percent were mixed and 4 percent said they were `other'.

Just under 52 percent were between the ages of ten and 13, 43 percent were between 14 and 16 and just five percent were over 16.

The NDC's Prevention Officer Calvin Ming announced that a two day National Prevention Conference will be held at the end of July with the overall objective of broadening participation in community wide prevention strategies.

"It's a great opportunity for all sectors including businesses, the media, law enforcement, schools and religious organisations,'' said Kimberley Jackson who will be facilitating the conference.

Mrs. Jackson explained that the conference will be co-sponsored by the Community Anti-Drugs Coalitions of America (CADCA) which has had some success in fostering concerted action in the anti-drugs war in North America.

CHART Graphic evidence: According to the above NDC graph, alcohol use is in decline while use of marijuana slowly tracks up, overtaking tobacco in terms of popularity. Addiction workers yesterday also weighed in to the drug dialogue.

See Page 2.