Your leading article (March 30) comes as a breath of fresh air. It is
not simply that the law is practically unenforceable which does this
damage.

Far worse, millions of ordinary, decent citizens see nothing wrong
with the recreational use of drugs, despite the fact that they are
illegal, and, for them, the law has lost its moral relevance. The
danger of the law losing the respect of the public whom it is designed
to protect is obvious and goes far wider that the issue of drugs.

Enough damage has already been done by the vast growth of legislation
and regulation interfering in matters where individuals should be left
to decide for themselves; and more is in the pipeline, for example the
banning of hunting and the increasing denial of our freedom of speech
and thought on issues such as the "gay" movement. I think we are
moving towards a society in which observance of the law is obtained by
fear alone.

RICHARD RAWSTHORN
Cliviger, Lancs