PORTRAIT OF HEROIN USER IRRESPONSIBLE, OUT-OF-PLACE

I read with disgust The Sun's article "A quick transition from 'Sir!' to
'Yo!' (Dec. 7). I believe this article is truly one of the most
irresponsibly placed and drafted to come from The Sun in a long time.

Envision thousands of newspaper dispensers all over the city with a picture
of a youth shooting himself up with heroin.

Now picture the very children we wish to keep from trying heroin reading
descriptions of the drug such as: "Warmth runs through the 17-year-old, and
there's an awful, awesome taste his mouth. Bitter has never, ever been so
sweet. 'It's a rush, like it just comes over you, just like he said it
would. Only better.' "

Now ask, "Did I help the anti-drug cause or did I just push one more curious
teen-ager over the edge?"

The falling noise you hear is more teen-agers tumbling over the edge. The
Sun has just helped one more drug dealer buy a new Lexis.

Howard S. Stevens

Baltimore