churches in an effort to gauge the extent of drug and alcohol use in Bermuda.

The National Drug Strategy interim steering committee is organising the survey, the first of its kind in Bermuda.

"We are definitely lacking information on what's really happening with drugs and alcohol here,'' steering committee chairman Mr. Alistair Macdonald said yesterday. "Most of the information we do have was obtained by indirect means.'' The committee's survey will also find out how drugs and alcohol are affecting residents' lives and how long abusers of the substances have been addicted and why.

Participants are not required to give their names, but they are asked to fill in their race and sex.

Mr. Macdonald urged people to cooperate and be honest. And he stressed answers to the survey's questions would be "absolutely confidential''.

Anyone working for or who is a member of the participating employers, clubs and churches can fill out the survey.

"I think those taking part represent a good cross section of the community,'' Mr. Macdonald said.

He said it would take about three weeks to complete and results should be tabulated by Christmas.

Mr. Macdonald said he did not want to name the employers and clubs taking part for the sake of confidentiality. But he said he had received the cooperation of the Bermuda Industrial Union and many large and small businesses and companies.

"The only information we have on drug and alcohol use on the Island is from drug seizures and alcohol sales,'' he added, noting that there is a drugs survey put out to high schools three times a year, but only youngsters participate.

The National Drugs Strategy steering committee was put in place while the National Drugs Authority is being established.