Madam, - Media speculation continues regarding the identity of the Government Minister who is allegedly a habitual cocaine user.
Given that the symptoms of regular use include arrogance, being somewhat out of touch with reality, unfounded paranoia, an inflated belief in one's abilities and a belief that the most unrealistic ideas have a realistic chance of success, it's not exactly an easy task, is it? - Yours, etc,
DAVID MARLBOROUGH, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6W.
Madam, - So we now have a situation where a "Joint Oireachtas Communications Committee" can call in and subject to extensive cross-questioning the director general of the national broadcasting station and the managing director of television on the content of one programme.
A foreign visitor listening to reports on this remarkable affair might well wonder just exactly what sort of state this is. And where is the Opposition in all this?
Perhaps we have a "high society" seeking to protect itself. Or perhaps it is very much worse. - Yours, etc,
GARRETT HOOPER, Clarinda Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
Madam, - I would like to complain about the inaccurate use of the word "overdose" in the reporting of a number tragic events recently.
When one is talking about licensed medicinal drugs there is the concept of a "dose", which is the amount of medication at which, in the correct context, the likelihood of benefit outweighs that of adverse effects. When this dose is exceeded and the likelihood of adverse effects is high, we refer to an "overdose".
Illicit or street drugs (cocaine, heroin, ecstasy) are not licensed for medicinal use because there is no dosage at which they have beneficial usage. Using the term "overdose" in relation to such drugs implies that there is a correct dose which can be taken safely. It is my fear that this may delude some users into believing that they can continue to use the drug in small amounts without consequences.
In fact the opposite is true as regards cocaine. As reported in the Southern Medical Journal in 2006, deaths from cocaine usage tend not to be dose-related and are known to occur even after minimal exposure. - Yours, etc,
Dr MATTHEW SADLIER, The Poplars, Monkstown Valley, Co Dublin.