Letter: Drugs `hell'

Sir: It seems impossible for politicians to deal rationally with many types of illegal drugs ("Britons are Europe's biggest drug-takers", 23 November).

For many drugs, the danger to the user is very low. Taking alcohol as a benchmark for what seems an acceptable risk level to much of the public, cannabis is no more addictive, and probably less damaging to the body. Ecstasy is not physically addictive and only acutely dangerous in very rare circumstances, though the effects of chronic use are unknown. Even the demon heroin is only dangerous to most people if an overdose is taken. These are not medically controversial statements.

Why is it impossible for some brave politician to force a rational discussion, to acknowledge facts that every clubgoer, many policemen and even some politicians know?

TONY LANGTRY

Oxford