Although on half-term holiday and despite a bus strike yesterday scores of local teens turned out to hear about the dangers of drug abuse and get motivated to be the best they can be.

The sixth annual Pride conference took place in the gymnasium at CedarBridge Academy and guest speaker was to be Premier Jennifer Smith, but she was off the Island. Standing in for her was Minister without Portfolio Neletha Butterfield, who stressed to the students the important role they play in shaping their futures.

"I am intrigued by the theme of this two-day conference - `My Body My Choice: Drug Free'. This suggests that a significant part of the approach and the solution to the drugs problem, rests with you, young people," she said.

"It is your body and your choice, your choice alone, that determines whether or not you will abuse your body with the abuse of drugs. I am convinced that Bermuda's young people, like yourselves, do want to make the right choices.

"I hope that you will take advantage of the positive influences in your lives and the resources at this conference to make the right choices and stick with them for the rest of your lives."

Ms Butterfield also told the young people that drug activity in their teens can adversely affect their ability to travel and noted that parents must take the responsibility to ensure that their children are aware of such consequences.

"They need to know how to resist offers of drugs and how to avoid company that place them in situations where they are exposed to drugs," she said.

"Most of all, they need to know the serious consequences that drugs and convictions for drugs can have on their lives and on their future. Parents too, need to know how to talk to their children and how to raise the issue of drugs in a non-threatening and productive way."

The two day conference finishes today.