BARBARA Stuart (May 25) says that my call for drugs to be legalised, because the police cannot cope, is giving way to evil.

She says the police are losing the battle against such evils as child abuse, arson, muggings, burglaries and murderers, so my logic would appear to be to legalise these evils too.

Of course not, Barbara. To legalise these evils would be to give a free rein to child abusers, arsonists, muggers, burglars and murderers. By legalising drugs, we would simply allow those who want to use drugs to do so, while at the same time eradicating the evil, illegal drugs trade and ridding our society of those who make tax free fortunes by preying on the young and vulnerable. Street crime, muggings, burglaries and even murders would be greatly reduced, as addicts would no longer need the vast sums of money they need now to fund their illegal habit. This would ease the burden on our overstretched police, leaving them more able to cope.

Soft drugs are already widely used by a broad cross-section of the public as an alternative to nicotine and alcohol.

Much needs to be debated as to how best to control hard drugs, should they ever be legalised. In the meantime, treating addicts instead of jailing them, and setting up "shooting galleries", where they can inject and dispose of their needles safely, are excellent steps forward. We all -- or most of us -- wish that these drugs did not exist, but they do, and we simply cannot allow things to continue to get worse, by doing nothing. We must back these radical changes and, once they are seen to work, go further.

Brian Derbyshire

Ribchester Grove

Bolton