I WONDER if John Hinton (You Say, June 15) and the bishops of the Church of England have really thought through the problems and consequences of the legalisation of cannabis and other substances.

Perhaps he has failed to notice that, already, we're in a situation similar to that which he quotes, "The American Prohibition Era".

There's a vast difference between a measure of whisky and an ecstasy tablet, or a shot of heroin that can kill.

With legalisation, would users receive their shots free? If so, this would be totally unfair to those who have to pay for their medication to help them live a reasonable life.

Heavy taxation hasn't prevented users of tobacco and alcohol from buying their requirements. This proves that heavy taxation would not prevent the use of dangerous drugs.

For the few who could afford to purchase from a legal outlet, this would be no problem.

It would also mean those who could not being conditioned to obtaining their supply from peddlers, heavy taxation having destroyed the incentive to purchase at a legal outlet. Users unable to afford the price at a legal distributor would resort to their habit of burglary and, maybe, murder.

THE REV D G GRIFFIN,

Newland, Malvern.

n IN his response to my letter about Ghana, A K Hill agreed that, in 50 years, things do change, but remarked that a country's climate remains (You Say, June 21).

In view of the greenhouse effect, I don't know how correct his latter statement is.

Be that as it may, I believe that in the past 40 years, Ghana constructed two dams, one at Akosombo and another at Kpong.

And, while the northern regions can experience drought, the south is very fertile because it has a tropical monsoon climate, which is why Ghana can grow rice, I suppose.

Rice is also grown in America and Italy, even though neither country is oriental or tropical.

However, my letter did not set out to score Brownie points in geography, but to expose the unfair regulations imposed on poorer countries by Western governments on our behalf.

L SPITERI,

Worcester.