of Election 1993 recognised the "cancer of drugs''. It was bound to do that because the Bermudian public sees drugs as, perhaps, the Country's greatest problem. Of course, Bermuda is not unique and drug abuse is a major problem for most of today's governments.

The UBP blueprint promised to "address, treat and ultimately prevent the growing problem of drug and alcohol abuse''. That's a tough job.

The National Alcohol and Drug Agency managed to get some things done and to encourage other groups to action but it never received solid Government backing. There is a basic problem. Traditionally in Bermuda the drug "war'' has received more study and lip service than action and for years the Ministry of Health and Social Services seems to us to have treated drugs as an unwanted nuisance.

Now, the Premier has moved to change all that.

Mr. Jerome Dill has been appointed to a new Ministry which is specifically charged to deal with drugs. Mr. Dill does not have to start from scratch. His job is made easier because of Dr. David Archibald's two reports and because the Interim Steering Committee on drugs is about to become the National Drugs Authority. The studies to identify the problems are excellent and complete.

The machinery to get on with the war already has an outstanding chairman in Mr. Alastair Macdonald and its membership needs to be complete. That membership is important to the agency's success. But more than that, the agency must be supported with funding and by a good staff.

As we see it, Mr. Dill's basic job will be to energise Government to get on with "the war on drugs''. The public already agrees that the problem should be faced. Mr. Dill has to encourage his colleagues in Government to throw their full support behind the Agency. With full support Bermuda can succeed.

If full support does not appear, it will confirm what is so often said, that Government sees reports and committees as solutions but is not committed to action.

As we see it, drugs in Bermuda can only be tackled one way. We must reduce the demand for drugs while we treat the addicted. We should not do anything to encourage importation but we must understand that a busy Country with an extensive coastline has little hope of preventing the supply of drugs. We cannot search every returning Bermudian, every visitor, every crewman or every yacht.

However, we can start with the young and educated and inform people away from demanding drugs and we can provide good treatment for those who need treatment. There should be nothing elitist about this treatment and it must cover the streets and the prisons. Bermuda knows that education and treatment as a means of preventing demand is expensive but it is both more humane and more certain than policing to prevent supply.

Mr. Dill has to supply the will to make the machinery work. That is not at all as easy as it sounds. Bermuda has had years of talk about drugs. There is little point to more discussion or to more study. Mr. Dill has to get the action going and that is the tough part.