MUSIC INDUSTRY MUST SHUN DRUGS

WITH the problem of addictive drugs and the devestation of our society
now clearly out of control, and police warning of an epidemic of crack
cocaine, it is gratifying that the Prime Minister has allocated $20
million for a drugs campaign.

But with radio stations still playing that execrable song that goes,
"It's all right, it's all right, it's all right, co-caine", one wonders
why he even bothers.

Given the immense influence that the music industry has over our
youth, when is this industry going to display some social
responsibility and, at the very least, refuse to play music which
clearly promotes drug addiction and criminal behaviour?

Reasoned argument appears ineffective in controlling the entertainment
industry, which seems to believe that it has some sort of divine right
to constantly denigrate our society's values and confuse our youth
over moral boundaries. Perhaps we should try coercion.

It will be interesting to see what arguments the opponents of
censorship will put up, to justify the artistic merits of the song
quoted above.

Perhaps, as in Ken Mertons' (Letters, March 16) defence of the
paedophile titillating movie Lolita, the song is just a "complex and
subtle story of an obsession".