DRUGS REPORTING IRRESPONSIBLE

POOR Chief Justice Jeffrey Miles (CT, September 6, p.1) needs a spell away
from the Bench I think, because his view of the world outside the courtroom
is incorrect.

His claim that ". . . heroin is in widespread use in the community . . ." is
not true. From ACT Drug Trends 1999, published by the National Drug and
Alcohol Research Centre, I quote: ""The 1998 National Drug Strategy
Household Survey, which included a random sample of just under 1200 ACT
residents over the age of 14, found that almost 2 per cent had used heroin
at least once, and 0.4 per cent had used it in the 12 months prior to the
interview." Granted, heroin use is higher in the 14-24 age group: in ACT
Drug Trends 1999 it is stated, "1.2 per cent of respondents in this age
range had used heroin in the 12 months prior to the survey." These are not
very high percentages! We all know that people are more likely to do
something if they think everyone else is doing it. It was irresponsible of
Chief Justice Miles to make this wild statement but at least only a few
people heard him. It was irresponsible of The Canberra Times to give it any
coverage at all, let alone on the front page with a large headline.

JANE CRAIG, Macgregor