Sir:
It is a good thing that David Macauley has resigned as director of
Scotland Against Drugs. He criticises the Government for being ineffective
in tackling the drugs problem, but the only positive suggestion he makes is
that "the availability of drugs on our streets must be drastically
reduced". He says, "Enforcement is key."

What on earth does this mean? Enforcement has never worked. It does
not work now and it never will. It is the only thing we have ever
tried and the demand for drugs has continued to escalate.

Mr Macauley is right to criticise the Government: they cannot succeed if
most of their effort is concentrated on enforcement and so little is spent
on helping those whose misuse of drugs causes problems to themselves and
society. Mr Macauley seems to be proposing that we waste further resources
in doing even more of the wrong things.

The only solution is to try to bring drugs under reasonable legal
control. When the criminals cease to have a monopoly over the supply
and distribution of drugs, drug-related crime and deaths will
diminish. Then, harmful use can be openly discouraged and those who
have a problem will come forward and be helped without fear of repression.

-- Mick Humphreys, Creech St Michael, Somerset