Michael Weeks, the Shadow Minister of Health and Community Affairs, has called for a crackdown on drinking among middle schoolers, pointing to permissive attitudes from adults and “subliminal seduction” from advertisements.

With nearly one in four young teenagers admitting that they use alcohol, Mr Weeks suggested a “more deliberate approach” was needed to steer them away from potentially self-destructive behaviour.

“Statistically, it is a known fact that alcohol consumption has become more prevalent in 10 to 14-year-olds,” Mr Weeks told The Royal Gazette. “It is also a known fact that these young people are acquiring alcohol through friends, aged 18 or over, who get it from a store.”

The latest National School Survey revealed that 18 per cent of M2 students (aged 12-13) and 23.2 per cent of M3 students (aged 13-14) admitted to using alcohol at present.

Within the same year groups, 48.8 per cent and 58.5 per cent admitted to ever having tried alcohol, up from 24.5 per cent and 40.9 per cent respectively in the corresponding 2011 survey.

The October 2015 study, taken by 3,501 students across 25 schools, listed alcohol as “easily accessible” to youngsters, with 21 per cent of respondents saying they had been offered to buy or use alcohol in the past 30 days.

About one third (32.4 per cent) of students said they had not had a serious conversation about the dangers of drugs with their parents or guardians.

Speaking as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, Mr Weeks urged parents to serve as role models to their children, who “learn what they live”, recommending that alcohol kept at home be locked away from the reach of curious youngsters.

In line with AAM’s “Talk Early, Talk Often” theme, he also suggested that the dangers of alcohol consumption should be taught “from the cradle”.

“The overwhelming deterrent must be one of education,” Mr Weeks said, adding that this message applied to both adults and children.

“In our public schools, I understand that an awareness of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other vices is taught from the first year of primary school.

“This is vital. As students move up the education ladder, there must be a more deliberate approach to teaching about the risks of alcohol and drug consumption.”

In addition, he insisted that establishments selling alcohol need to take an “unfailing stance to display its dangers”.

He said: “Be it gas stations, sporting clubs, supermarkets or pharmacies, bold signage must be displayed outlining those risks.

“We must combat the subliminal seduction of advertisements which make drinking alcohol seem attractive to onlookers, particularly those who are underage.”

Mr Weeks added that in-store signage should also show the penalty for selling alcohol to minors, or for purchasing to give to a minor, and that the community should remain vigilant in ensuring penalties are upheld.

He said that the island’s preoccupation with alcohol is deeply ingrained in the culture, captured in the Bootsie song Bermudians Love to Drink.

“Drinking continues to be socially acceptable in Bermuda for any and every occasion,” Mr Weeks said.

“But we cannot wait until there is an increase in youth alcohol poisoning, drink rehabilitation or death to start a paradigm shift towards prevention and education.”