HAVING watched the recent BBC television documentary "Drugland" I can fully understand the anger, annoyance and embarrassment caused to both Bury Council and the residents of Chesham Fold, the location for most of the film footage.

However, the one positive that I believe came out of the programme was that it brought into the public domain the fact that there is an underlying problem with drug addiction in Bury, as there is in most other towns. Although this problem is not on a huge scale, it is there and is growing. Keeping the problem of drugs hidden away is not the way to solve it.

People in this town should not be so naive as to believe that Chesham Fold is the only place in this area affected by drugs. This programme could just as easily have been filmed in Ramsbottom, Tottington, Elton or anywhere for that matter. The fact that a man was tragically murdered in the Chesham Fold area brought the cameras to that estate.

The whole problem with drug addiction, as portrayed in the programme, is that it is seen as a filthy low-life habit that just affects people on certain estates. The reality of the situation is that drug addiction is an illness and requires urgent and immediate attention.

Hopefully, after the initial anger has subsided, the council may look at providing extra facilities for children in the town where their time can be more productively occupied. Simply educating children at primary and secondary schools about substance misuse is not enough; there needs to be something for them to do. This may help keep them away from the usual "starter drug" of cannabis.

Maybe on the back of this film footage the community drugs team, who do a tremendous and thankless job, will be able to gain extra funding to give more assistance and to get some more of the area's addicts into appropriate treatment. At present I believe the centre treats 100 patients - its maximum capacity. The waiting list is now up to six months. Extra funding would be an obvious benefit to the community.

Hopefully, if any of the above can be achieved then the embarrassment and uproar which the programme caused may just have been worthwhile.

REALIST,

Holcombe Brook, Bury.