THERE IS NO EVERYADDICT

Victoria -- Gabor Mate (Embraced By The Needle -- Aug. 27) postulates that
children deprived of affection after birth tend to become substance abusers
and that, "Later in life, such children may experience a hit of heroin as
the 'warm, soft hug' my patient described: What they didn't get enough of
before, they can now inject."

Dr. Mate has allowed the tragic stories of his patients to lead him to a
false generalization.

What about all the affection-deprived children who did not become substance
abusers? As for the "warm, soft hug" of heroin, I feel the same way about
my morning coffee, and my parents were wonderful.

Alan Randell