Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 Date: 06/19/2000 Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) Author: Dr. Michael Dawson Fred Nile is being disingenuous when he claims that the rate of drug abuse is lower in Swedish "young people" than in Australian "young people" (Letters, June 16). When binge drinking is included in drug abuse statistics, the incidence of drug abuse by Swedish young people is higher than it is in Australia. In fact, the hypocrisy that alcohol is an acceptable drug and all other drugs are somehow more dangerous was a theme being pushed by several people at the Drug Summit 2000, largely on the grounds that alcohol is here to stay (as if cannabis etc are not) and that the alcohol industry would make a bad enemy. The fact of the matter is that there is no such thing as a safe drug, just as there is no thing as a safe seat in politics, something Mr Nile is no doubt well aware of. If a group of people are going to push for a drug-free society, that is fine, but they should do so by first targeting the drug that causes the most harm to families and society, that is alcohol. But then again one would not want to make powerful enemies, would one? Dr Michael Dawson, University of Technology, Sydney