HOW ABOUT SOME STRAIGHT REPORTING ON DRUGS, PLEASE

The editorial "Valley of death" in today's Heraldis to be applauded
for its call for more effective public education regarding the dangers
of illicit drug use.

Yet a front-page news item in the same issue blithely reports: "About
10,000 people dance in inner-city clubs each weekend - more than half
taking illegal drugs - with minimal health problems."

The initial television news reports that I saw in relation to the
tragic death of a young man at the Cataract Park event all seemed at
pains to suggest that a "bad batch" of a particular so-called designer
drug might be at fault.

Let's be serious. Experimenting with drugs is a dangerous practice,
either through immediate effects on the body, risks arising from
subsequent aberrant behaviour, or the possibility of temptation to
wider experimentation leading to addiction and all that that means.

How about some straight reporting? It is very unintelligent and very
dangerous to play this game.

M.H. Edwards,
February 22,
Figtree