IRVINE WELSH STEERS CLEAR OF HEROIN CHIC TRAINSPOTTING

Author IRVINE WELSH always avoids romanticising his former addiction to
heroin and
hates admitting he was a junkie.

The author, who recently finished the screenplay to his book THE ACID
HOUSE, was for years a regular user of the killer drug.

Welsh certainly isn't proud of his drug past - despite the fact that
Trainspotting was criticised for glamorising the substance.

He says, "I feel embarrassed to admit that I was a junkie. It's
nothing that I'd want to boast about. Certainly I'd feel a really
horrible failure if I got into heroin again now I've got money."

There are two differences between Welsh and the people he portrays -
money and class.

He says, "That's the horrible thing about it - there's no way that I
could compare my reasons with those of someone in a scheme with no
opportunities.

"There's all sorts of different reasons for addiction, but social
class is one of the most powerful ones."

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady