Adults who allow children access to vaping devices and mind-altering drugs are “condemning them to a life of misery”, a government minister said.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, spoke out after learning about one middle school pupil who was taken to hospital after consuming an “edible”.

Mr Rabain also expressed concern about vaping devices found at primary schools.

During the Motion to Adjourn in the House of Assembly on Friday, he claimed that the problem was “gripping our island”.

The minister said: “It has become more of the norm to turn a blind eye to the use of mind-altering drugs.”

He told MPs that “we had a young student from Dellwood, that would be between the ages of 11 and 14, consuming an edible”, which was passed to the child by someone and as a result the pupil was taken to hospital.

Mr Rabain added that “thankfully” the student was OK.

The minister said: “This is something that is occurring more and more within our schools, sometimes reported, sometimes not reported.”

Mr Rabain said the ministry carried out a security sweep at one school recently and confiscated a number of vaping devices.

He explained: “We have … vapes found in primary schools; the age of primary school students goes up to 10, 11.

“That is not a place that we should be finding these types of devices or children playing with them.”

Mr Rabain said: “I’m not here to pass judgment on what adults do with their time legally but I want to serve a warning to those adults who are giving these devices, these edibles, these gummies and all of these other things to our children.

“They are doing a grave disservice to our community.”

The minister added: “I want to serve a warning to parents — please be vigilant. Please look out for your children. They do not deserve this type of treatment.

“Adults out there that are using these devices, consuming these things … I have no issue with you doing whatever you do in your spare time, but please ensure that children are not getting a hold of these things and messing around with them.

“You are condemning our children to a life of misery if you continue to be irresponsible with your behaviour like this.

“This will not lead to good outcomes if we do not put things in place and we are not vigilant and look out for our children.

“Please, I urge all of us here, have conversations. We all talk about us canvassing — have conversations about that.

“Let the people know that we are not going to tolerate that and they need to do better when it comes to ensuring the safety of our children.

“They are our future and we cannot do the things that are being done now to impinge on that future of our children.

“I make this the most heartfelt plea to every single adult here in Bermuda.

“Do not let our children be exposed to and begin to think that this is normal behaviour to consume these types of things, play around with these types of things to their own health detriment.”