Drugs evil

I’M surprised that Alex Neil, as Health Minister, appears not to understand the condition ‘addiction’. This can afflict anyone, regardless of their political affiliation, social standing or finances.

The illegal drug trade must rank as the most successful ‘pyramid selling’ business ever.

Mr Neil should be aware that people are usually introduced to drugs by friends, and the initial experience is normally very pleasant — and cheap. The attempt to recapture this experience is the trigger for addiction, and the cost of the drugs escalates.

All this was brought to the attention of MPs in the Commons in 1982. At that time few people were truly aware of the insidious growth of drug- pushing and taking among schoolchildren, and a prime reason for highlighting the issues was to initiate an education programme aimed at prevention. This never reached the intensity of, for instance, anti-smoking campaigns.

Given the enormity of the problem, one would have hoped that a joint initiative by all political parties would have been given the go-ahead, i nvolving the police, health and border agencies.

If this did happen, it has been spectacularly unsuccessful. Today drug-users are given advice on safe use and clean needles to inject themselves — things that matter only after addiction is confirmed.

Meanwhile, I do wish the SNP would stop blaming Margaret Thatcher for all Scotland’s ills. This ‘ we wuz robbed’ whining insults the many Scots who have always worked for themselves and their families and contributed to the success of Scotland and Britain. Mr Neil and others should get out and engage more with them.

HOPE MITCHELL, Carnoustie, Angus.