WHY THE YOUNG USE DRUGS

To the Editor:

Re "Young and Suburban, and Falling for Heroin" (news article, Sept.
27):

To understand the tragic "new wave of heroin abuse" and overdoses on
Long Island, we need to look at what creates the supply and demand for
drugs.

The supply side is a result of a sophisticated marketing scheme by
someone with access to a substantial amount of heroin. Cheap, easily
available, undiluted heroin will hook many, creating a market for the
drug.

To learn what creates the demand, we need to understand what drives
the self-medicating behavior. In interviews with past and present
youthful users, your article clearly points out their need to prove
themselves and the underlying lack of self-esteem. These are symptoms
of depression, a condition 25 million Americans are trying to cope
with by taking legal substances.

Getting tough on drugs or on drug users will not address the
underlying condition that generates demand. Educating young people
about their vulnerabilities could help many to avoid the pitfalls of
addiction.

Howard Josepher

New York

The writer is president and chief executive of Exponents, an
organization that works to improve the quality of life of people
affected by drug addiction.