Who is responsible for ‘county lines’ drugs gangs?

MUCH has been said about the people running ‘county lines’ drug gangs. Yes, they are evil and despicable, but they’re responding to demand. People who buy illegal drugs bear a lot of responsibility. So do politicians and senior police officers who think of drug users as victims who need to be looked after, instead of idiots who should be arrested for their stupid and selfish behaviour. RoBIN CoLLIER, Formby, merseyside. IT IS so sad that children’s homes are being seen as recruiting grounds for drug couriers (Mail). In the Fifties, when I was growing up, near us was a home for about 12 boys called Malvern House. They went to the local school, had their friends in, went out to tea, and the jungle of a garden attached to the home was a small boy’s paradise. One day when my brother had been naughty, my mother threatened to send him to Malvern House. Five minutes later he came down the stairs with a case and told her that if he went straight away, he would be in time for tea. She never used that threat again, but I bet those boys grew up happy and well-adjusted. BARBARA THomAS, Billingshurst, west Sussex. IF PEOPLE who are obese or have drug, smoking or alcohol problems had to pay for NHS treatment, perhaps they’d think twice about what they were doing, not only to themselves, but to family, friends and the health service. Money saved could help to care for people who do not have a self-inflicted illness. It appears the elderly are blamed just for getting old and putting a strain on health services. I wonder who costs the most — the people who have self-inflicted issues or the elderly? mANDY mAY, Northampton.