TRIVIAL TALK

Br M.Q. Brady's letter (December 16) grossly trivialises society's
problems with heroin by comparing our treatment of those addicted to
it with our treatment of those addicted to nicotine.

He should ask heroin addicts to describe the sheer hell they go
through in attempting to kick their habit. As the statistics show, an
ever increasing number of them give it up only in death.

As for giving up cigarettes, at the risk of sounding self-righteous, I
smoked for 18 years, woke up one morning 16 years ago, decided to quit
and haven't had one since.

I don't recall waking up in the middle of the night screaming, covered
in sweat, believing rats were gnawing at my brains. Roughly equivalent
versions of the ease of giving up cigarettes can be obtained by
talking to my work associates, friends and family. Almost without
exception, dozens of them decided to quit and did.

Les Nixon,
Holland Park