DRUG ADDICTION.

Evening Star, Issue 25471, 30 April 1945, Page 6

DRUG ADDICTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In an article in the ' Star ' on April 28, under the heading of ' Consumption of Drugs: Big Increase in New Zealand,' a hospital superintendent is reported as saying, "The people are taking all sorts of hogwash. It is a great -day for the chemist and the patent medicine man." I left my children fine, bonny, with never a day's illness prior to going overseas. On my return four years later what a shock 1 got when 1 saw them; pale, listless, no appetite, complaining of sickness and headaches; inveterate drugtakers. Every type of pill or drug advertised over the air was to be found. It was a hard struggle to eradicate the habit. Good food and exercise did their share, and they are almost back to the standard they'were prior to the war. New Zealand's biggest enemies to-day are those who, by word or deed, try to tnru the youth into drug addicts. lif the commercial stations are there to assist in advertising these drugs they should be closed.— [ am, etc., 5457. April 30.