be a reality by next spring.

"Depending on the necessary approval, and assuming that those approvals are forthcoming, early in the next Budget year we hope to have it established,'' said National Drug Commission chief executive officer Derrick Binns.

The proposed scheme will give convicted drug users a clean record if they successfully complete a rehabilitation programme.

But Dr. Binns said "exact details'' of the assessment centre -- which would create individual treatments -- still needed to be determined.

And although the NDC's role in the new system has not clearly been determined, he cautioned it "does not wish to be a major service provider''.

The Commission may give advice on setting up and designing the service in the same way it had done for the Bermuda Youth Counselling Services.