Symonds who spoke at the Bermuda Interfaith Network's reflection meeting recently, was a recovering drug addict. He in fact offered a prayer for drug addicts and is not an addict himself.

Bermuda's religious community lacks the moral courage and moral stamina to stop the spiralling cycle of drugs and the violence associated with it, a Muslim leader said this week.

Imam Ameer Shakir, leader of the Masjid Muhammad Mosque on Cedar Avenue, made this statement to a small gathering of people at the Bermuda Interfaith Network's reflection meeting at the Mosque.

The meeting was held on Wednesday, five days after the Moment of Consciousness on Friday. Religious leaders met at the Mosque to share thoughts and fellowship.

"We did not stop alcohol,'' he said. "Now we have graduated, been dragged or rather `drugged' down by drugs.

"We should not fear joining the struggle. From our perspective drug use is a selfish thing. Drug users are not concerned with the community, their neighbours or the environment. All they want to know is when they are going to get that next high and they will go to any level to get that high.'' Imam Shakir said that Bermuda's religious community was directing its attention to the wrong things and needed to search the scriptures for the answers.

Furthermore, he said religious persons who are convinced that only they have a direct line to the truth often became victims of "religious hallucinations''.

"We become like one-eyed monsters,'' he continued. "So when the drug problem rises we tend to be whipped into submission because we lack sound judgment.'' However he said the fight against drugs requires a sober rational approach.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Diana Lynn of the Jewish Community said the "Just Say No'' to drugs campaigns are at best only the beginning of any strategy to eradicate drug use among young people.

She said that such verbal warnings may affect five, six and seven-year-olds positively but this does not work for teenagers who are beset by many more distractions.

Mrs. Lynn called for an "environment of unlimited possibilities'' because sport and the arts are not enough.

And she emphasised that Bermuda's young people needed safe places to congregate, and enjoy themselves every day.

More importantly, she said such environments must not only be accessible "they must also be cool''.

National Drug Commission chairman Mr. Mansfield (Jimmy) Brock attended the meeting and said a united front was necessary to fight the drug problem and that persons of all faith groups were needed.

Others addressing the gathering on Wednesday were recovering addict Mr. Derek Simons of the Baha'i community, the Rev. Ron Vincent of the Methodist church, Judy Burgess of Youth to Youth and the Rev. Mark Tremblay.