Gentlemen, there are certain opinions that should be kept to oneself. Or does someone want to step outside…?

You’re right about the Beatles. Especially Lennon’s songs, all the good ones are McCartney (if I see another poll saying Imagine is the best song ever, I think I’ll have to join a silent order). And while ‘Sgt Pepper’ has its moments (the McCartney bits, oddly enough), the Beach Boys got there first…

Though Dave touches a nerve with "Old farts who imagine teenagers are just like them have been around for no mean time". I am all too aware that from my age the current crop of teen-agers might as well come from Mars. But one thing I cling to is my hard-earned knowledge of human nature. So, yes, the ‘bravados’ would, of course, try drugs, but, *they would anyway*, whatever the circs. The point of my ‘shock and awe’ campaign would be to deter the fainter hearts.

As for the Beatles, I have spent most of my life trying to forget them, or to be precise, trying to forget one of my less than auspicous prognostications. Once, have listened to a song that seemed to contain nothing but the words "yeah, yeah, yeah" repeated ad nauseum, I proclaimed them to be rubbish, and foretold an early and deserved end to their budding career. I haven’t improved much over the years, have I?

Oh, did that come across as bullying and/or a call for censorship? If so I sincerely apologise. Mr Duff is essential round here & I’m glad he posts.

" I would make every effort to propogate the knowledge of these deaths because I believe that would be the most efficacious way to convince youngsters not to try drugs in the first place. Fear (and greed) are great motivators."

Fear& greed are indeed great motivators. Except to teenage boys, who are more susceptible to bravado & peer-pressure, as is obvious from looking at adverts that target them.
Old farts who imagine teenagers are just like them have been around for no mean time. Remember the Beatles’ Christmas record? – "And now a discussion on teenagers – we’ll start with you, Sir George.."

Well it’s sort of true, innit? Pubs and Off Licenses have to have a license and they have to train their staff. Although not very bloody much, obviously – asking if you have a Nectar card seems to be the most important thing.

Mind you, just imagine how many points you could earn if you had a serious smack habit!

As to calling you a communist, certainly not, what would a communist be doing in a website called http://www.stalinism.com/? I just meant that I am more of an individualist rather than a collectivist. And whilst I believe free markets, which were never invented by a man, are the best way to distribute goods and services, I am not an extreme libertarian. There is an essential place for government, but not the overwhelming and over weening type that we suffer today.

Good discussion – enjoyed it.

It’s not humbuggery (or any other sort of buggery) at all. The system I propose is the one I think is best for everyone. It may be not to your extreme libertarian taste, but it’s hardly what most people would understand by the term "nanny state". It’s reasonable isn’t it that only properly trained state-endorsed instructers should be allowed to take paying customers sky-diving? We insist that bus-drivers should be properly qualified don’t we? So why not say that only in proper clinics should you be allowed to buy heroin?

You might think that keeping tabs on who’s bought how much heroin (to prevent people selling it on or going from clinic to clinic getting more) is insufferable nanny-statism, I just think it’s sensible. You and I see the world differently David.

such clinics have a miserably low success rate

If people are sent to rehab clinics against their will it’s unsurprising that rehab is likely to fail. In my system people who go to rehab will do so because they genuinely want to quit. Because of their motivation, the chance of success will be much greater.

I would view with slight pity, but mostly indifference, the increased death-rate amongst addicts that would result

Charming.

I only write with (brutal) honesty what I believe

I realise that (unless you really are just a wind-up merchant of course). It’s just that what you believe happens to be thoroughly unpleasant.

I must, in return, accept your judgement on the poverty of my morality

Well you can consider that forthcoming then.

to say nothing of my sense of comradely unity.

I’ve no idea what you mean by this. Are you calling me a communist or something?