SIR — I cannot believe the audacity of our Government to assume that I, as a law-abiding, tax-paying member of society, would be happy to pay for drug addicts to receive free drugs in so-called ‘shooting galleries’.

Oh, hang on, wait a minute. We live in an equal environment, so that means I can receive free beer because I am addicted to alcohol. My wife can receive free tobacco because she is addicted to nicotine, and my son can receive free scratch cards as he is addicted to gambling — I don’t think so!

What has this country come to when the people who do nothing but take get all the benefits?

Bob Thompson, May Tree Close, Badger Farm, Winchester.