LEGAL DRUGS MORE ACCESSIBLE

Sir-In response to the suggestion by one of your readers that prohibition
is the cause of children having access to illegal drugs, I would like to
direct them to look at the statistics.

Although there are claims that illegal drugs are more available than legal,
regulated drugs such as alcohol, there are far more young people who report
use of alcohol than other drugs. Why? Because it is available. It is
considered acceptable by most of society because of its legality and
widespread use.

I am a research analyst working with drug prevention programmes. The
implication that legalising harmful substances will prevent kids from using
them is wrong.

ANNA ELIAS
March 29, 2000