JUST SAY 'NO'? IT JUST DOES NOT WORK

THANK GOD we have people like Vicki Salkin ("The only solution is not
to take drugs", Letters, 6 November) to sort out society's problems
for us. I mean, why did not someone else think of telling addicts to
"just say no to drugs"? The same person could tell alcoholics to "just
say no to another drink", and then go on to tell compulsive criminals
to "just say no to crime". After finally telling gambling addicts to
"just say no to gambling", this magical person will have solved all of
society's problems in just twenty words!

Unfortunately what people like Ms Salkin do not seem to understand is
that when you are addicted to something it is not possible to say no.
That is the nature of addiction; it is a compulsion beyond the
individual's control. If the addict cannot say no, anyone with an
ounce of logic can see the utter futility of our drugs policy as it
stands.

I just hope that the next person to stub a toe on a carelessly
discarded syringe is someone like Ms Salkin who thinks that hundreds
of young people are dying and a spiralling crime rate is "the safest
and most workable solution".

J. MATTHEWS
O'Connor

Checked-by: Patrick Henry