Undergraduates from the Isle of Man College who surveyed fellow students’ views on drug and alcohol advice have been recognised by a political member. Tim Casemore, 21, and Ailish Angus, 22, have just completed a BSC in Public Health at the College. As an extra-curricular activity, they asked their contemporaries how educators could best get across health-related message concerning drugs and alcohol to young people. ‘We wanted to gain a general student perspective of what is effective in drug and alcohol health promotion, as they are major public health concerns,’ they said. ‘We found there was a consensus for more integrated health education and more evidence-based advice.’ Ailish said: ‘This was of particular interest to me because my dissertation thesis was centred around the criminalisation of drugs.’ The students hosted focus groups and spoke to 70 students over a period of four months to reach their findings, which they presented to Orla O’Donoghue the Department of Education and Children’s Drug and Alcohol Liaison Officer. Orla, in turn, delivered them to the Department of Home Affairs, which leads on delivering the Chief Minister’s Drug and Alcohol Strategy. Today Bill Malarkey MHK, the political member of DHA in charge of the strategy, presented Tim with a certificate of thanks for his and Ailish’s work. Ailish was unable to attend the presentation. Mr Malarkey said: ‘It would appear that most students like gaining updates via information technology and going to see a familiar face if they require extra support or information. The results are amazingly fresh and a sign of modern times and they will prove useful to us as we look at how to get across the messages about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.’ Tim and Ailish will head for Chester University in September to study for Masters degrees in Public Health. Ailish, of Port St Mary, hopes to continue her research in public health and eventually teach, while Tim, of Ramsey, hopes to work in either the public or private sector researching the prevention of illnesses. Ends