Pubdate: Tue, 29 Feb 2000
Date: 02/29/2000
Source: Times, The (UK)
Author: Stuart Goldman
Note: Subjectline by MAP

Sir, The report today by Helen Rumbelow does not merit its headline
"Huge rise in deaths from hard drug use".

As she reports, there were 38 cocaine-related deaths in 1997; those
related to Ecstasy have fallen to an average of 11 per year. These
figures are ludicrously low compared with alcohol and tobacco-related
fatalities, and young people know it.

Whilst I acknowledge the personal tragedies that these figures may
represent, in a population the size of the UK they are not
statistically significant.

Yours faithfully, STUART GOLDMAN, Flat 3, Wesley Court, 51-55
Weymouth Street, W1N 3LE. February 25.