To my knowledge, the aborigines did Magic Mushrooms before the white man arrived. I have never heard of any indigenous peoples who didn't have a drug they indulged in from time to time e.g. during ceremonies.

I have a son aged 37 who has Early Onset Emphysema and Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease from smoking both marijhuana and tobacco. He also has Fibromyalgia, brought on by excessive use of computer technology in the workplace and at home (radiation).

From today's news, truck drivers are forced to take illegal methamphetamines to stay awake on long trips. They also have to risk life and limb speeding down the highway due to the unrealistic time frames imposed by the major supermarket duopoly.

They constantly have the police hot on their trail, but who gets fined or charged over speeding and drug taking? Coles or Woolworths? No, just the victims of their abuse.

The government must fix the social issues and workplace abuses which leave people depressed and with empty wallets. These days most people feel they are being abused and exploited by money hungry bosses and others forced to compete with the third world to make an income.

Dear Mollydukes,

Thank you, you have just opened my eyes to understand why such a high percentage of sons and daughters of wealthy parents are involved in drugs - surely those poor, impressionable and sensitive brats were accused too often of coming from a pig-rich family, which lowered their self-esteem.

What I fail to understand is how come for example that Jews, who were historically most hurt by antisemitism and therefore prone to low self-esteem the most, were among the least to take on drugs.

That everyone is responsible for themselves, is not a political decision, but a law of nature: even those who are not seen to be taking full responsibility for themselves, are in fact responsible for not taking the responsibility. Societies and governments may ignore the laws of nature - at their peril.

There is nothing wrong with needing others or asking for assistance, so I would not agree with Hasbeen, if that's indeed what he claims, that "those of us who need other people are worthless". However, those who fail to make responsible choices when they can, are.

Dear Lorikeet,

The government cannot fix anything - especially if even after and despite reading that shocking article about truck drivers, you continue to shop at Coles and Woolworths, enjoying their lower prices.

The idiots that take these illegal drugs, don't need risk minimization which costs money. They are better off dead and save the community any further cost.

I almost never shop at Woolworths or Coles.

The last time I checked, Woolworths was No. 3 in the top 2000 companies trading in Australia, owning supermarkets, book stores, clothing stores, electronics shops, massive hardware stores etc.

I have asked my federal MP to ensure that all companies and businesses have the names of their owners on all shop fronts and stationery, so far with no result.

I helped to fully unionise an entire Woolworths store but when their union went in to bat for workers, the Labor government only cared about Big Business and not the little people at all.

People who keep suggesting that drug addicts should be left to die in the gutter might consider taking some lessons in compassion.

Dear Lorikeet,

I was horrified by what you wrote that truck drivers were forced by Coles and Woolworths to take amphetamines, but I couldn't find the reference -can you please post a link?

I did manage to see somewhere that truck-drivers who worked for those chains were taking amphetamines, but that article didn't explain who forced them and how. If I were a truck driver and someone was trying to force me to take a drug, then that someone would feel the full weight of my truck and never see the next sunrise!

<<I have asked my federal MP to ensure that all companies and businesses have the names of their owners on all shop fronts and stationery, so far with no result.>>

You could have figured that in advance. It's many years since I gave up on asking MP's for anything. A more effective way would be to organize the people, just as you did in that Woolworths store, to boycott all shops that do not publish the name of their owners.

<<the Labor government only cared about Big Business and not the little people at all>>

Sigh, what else would you expect from a Labor government?

<<People who keep suggesting that drug addicts should be left to die in the gutter might consider taking some lessons in compassion.>>

What are the alternatives?

Keeping people in prison for most of their life is less compassionate than allowing them to die!

Rehabilitating them over and over, would suck funds that could otherwise help other poor/unfortunate people that are not addicts.

If rehabilitation is done by government, then those junkies will see it as their "right" and repeat the cycle. If however done by charities on a case-by-case compassionate basis, then those addicts are more likely to learn the words "please" and "thank you" -a significant step towards enduring rehabilitation.

Also, how would you expect people to learn compassion if the government always does it automatically for them, without giving them the opportunity to reveal their goodness.