Madam, - In commenting on one aspect of your June 1st Editorial, "Young Smokers", Thomas Naghten (June 8th) makes an error so typical of us Irish.
"Price increases merely further impoverish the already hard-pressed low-income families you refer to in the piece," he writes. Of course they don't; the reckless disregard for household budgetary control does, however. Any impoverishment caused by expenditure on unnecessary items, whether it's alcohol, cigarettes or whatever, is the responsibility of the spender, end of story.
As a nation we love having someone to blame, usually the Government, England or perhaps best of all "the system". But the sooner we accept some responsibility for our actions the better. - Is mise,
GEOFF SCARGILL,
Loreto Grange,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.