Madam, - Vincent Browne (Opinion, December 20th) is correct in asserting that dealing with criminality requires action on social exclusion and deprivation. However, along with James Moran (December 20th), Peter McCarthy (December 19th) and Gerard Nolan (December 15th), he is quite wrong to advocate the legalisation of narcotics as an option.
For evidence that gangland criminality will restore itself despite the loss of the drugs trade, look at Japan. There is little demand for drugs but still you will find a sophisticated criminal underworld dealing in protection rackets and property fraud.
Further, are we to believe that the ever-increasing tax revenue generated from alcohol has been successful in dealing with the chronic problems for our health service? It hardly seems a worthy example to suggest that more addictive substances should be made freely available.
- Yours, etc,
JOHN BLAKENEY, Kameoka City, Japan.