alcohol, it was revealed yesterday.

A Youth Advisory Committee is to be set up to marshall the ideas of youngsters.

It will be among 10 special task forces formed by the Interim Steering Committee of the National Drug Strategy.

The committee is currently laying the groundwork before legislation is passed creating a national drug organisation.

Last week committee members met for the first time at a two-day conference at the Bermuda College.

They picked out key priorities to become the responsibility of individual task forces.

These include: Youth Advisory Committee; Financial and Budget Task Force; Community Development Task Force; Treatment, Rehabilitation and After Care Task Force; Family Task Force; Medical Insurance Task Force; Criminal Justice and Interdiction Task Force; Programmes in Schools; and a Research Task Force.

A task force for implementing the national drug organisation will also be formed. It will act as executive committee of the Interim Steering Committee, and coordinate details in setting up the national body recommended in Government consultant Dr. David Archibald's report.

Yesterday Mr. Alastair Macdonald, chairman of the steering committee, said it was critical to tap the views of youngsters.

"We realised on the committee there is only one person under 25,'' he said.

"It is very important to view matters from a young person's perspective.'', Mr. Macdonald also picked out the Family Task Force for special mention. "The family unit is a major influence in the development of healthy individuals,'' he said.

The task force would focus on ways the community could promote strong and supportive families to combat substance abuse.