An addiction specialist believes hallucinogenic drugs and amphetamines are on the rise in Bermuda. And he says drug activity should rise in the summer months because students will return from overseas with newly-formed habits.

Speaking at a Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) meeting Kenneth Matthew said the level of drug use and drugs on the Island tend to spike during summer months.

Mr. Matthew, who is the founder of Trust Recovery a 12-step based recovery programme said people need to start addressing the drug and alcohol problem instead of sweeping it under the carpet.

He said: “Those of us in the addiction business know that when summer comes students come back with some of the things they have learned, and not all of them were in the classroom. “And we’ve got to be equipped with up to date information because barbiturates and hallucinogens are becoming a big thing here just like in the US.”

While marijuana, heroin and cocaine have always been drugs of choice on the Island he said he believed that and hallucinogenic drugs were on the rise. He said that the drugs were growing in popularity in the US and being smuggled to Bermuda more frequently.

And a Government study into drug use completed in January and due to be released in coming months should point to the growing popularity of drugs like ecstasy and amphetamines, also known as speed, in Bermuda he said.

His company’s motto is “teaching recovery using straight talk” and yesterday he said parents need to bring back tough love. He said: “We need to stop worrying about what our kids think of us and give them tough love. If they live under your house they have to follow your rules.

“And grandparents need to stop bailing them out. That’s a major problem here, too many parents are not getting involved in their kids lives.”

Mr. Matthews explained that without tough love parents are enabling their children in addiction. For more information on the programmes PRIDE does, or to find out more about drug use and addiction counselling email info[AT]pride.prevention.bm.