demonstrate its commitment to the eradication of drug abuse in Bermuda, an Opposition Senator said yesterday.

And such alcohol promoting events like the recent Octoberfest are not the kind of events that "right thinking'' Bermudians should support.

PLP Senator Terry Lister made these comments during the Motion to Adjourn yesterday just after the Upper House had reconvened after the summer recess.

While showering the organisers of the Moment of Consciousness and the National Drugs Commission with praise for their untiring work against drug abuse in Bermuda, Sen. Lister said the focus of many anti-drug campaigns often misses the biggest offender.

"We must not ignore the problems we have with alcohol,'' he said.

Furthermore he said that alcohol presented one of the biggest problems to the community but it is often missed.

"Bermuda,'' he surmised "has one of the highest (populations) of alcohol addicted people.'' He said the timing of the Octoberfest -- an event that featured German food, music and beer -- on October 27 was poor because it came only one week after the Moment of Consciousness which highlighted the problems Bermuda has with drugs in the community.

Events like Octoberfest should not be supported and Government leaders -- Parliamentarians and Senators included -- needed to take a lead.

One way that this could be done he suggested, is for Government functions to be alcohol free and he said that consideration should be given to banning alcohol advertising.

Octoberfest organiser Ms Lynda Johnson withheld comment when she was contacted by The Royal Gazette yesterday.

She said she needed to contact the other organisers before speaking.