WHILE the Lord Advocate has de facto decriminalised possession of Class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine, which is good news for those who possess dangerous drugs, those same people had better not be caught with a dead salmon or sea-trout in their possession.

The taking of dead salmon from a river – perhaps killed by a seal or a fish which has escaped from an angler’s hook and subsequently died – is a very serious criminal offence, and possession of such dead fish always leads to criminal prosecution with a fine of up to £2500.

What a strange country Scotland is where dead salmon are afforded the full protection of the criminal law, but deprived communities consumed with violence, drug gangs and record drug deaths have seen their criminal protection withdrawn by the Lord Advocate.

Jim Stewart
Musselburgh

READ MORE: Tories isolated as Keir Starmer offers support for Scotland's new drug policy

I FIND the idea of someone found in possession of a Class A drug being given a warning extremely offensive. It is obvious that the people making these changes are not having to live next to these “sufferers”.

Peter Krykant’s claim this is the “biggest shift ... in a generation” is not really accurate (Peter Krykant: I had tears in my eyes as new Class A rules were announced, thenational.scot, Sep 23). A generation ago we were promised a “war on drugs” which is still being talked about, even though it NEVER happened.

The idea that the war on drugs would treat those involved like adults instead of naughty children was the correct way forward, but the police, councils, and politicians couldn’t be bothered, or were more afraid that these “kiddies” would take a tantrum and cause even more bother. So it was easier to appease them rather than have to deal with it.

READ MORE: Warnings for Class A drugs is good step but there's still more to do

I, along with many others in the mid-1990s, spent six months of our spare time, for free, to create the anti-social behaviour law to help communities defend themselves from various problems including drug misuse and associated behaviours. The part that I am most proud of was to make the tenant/owner responsible not only for the people within their address, but also visitors to that address, thereby making the householder the responsible “adult”.

That would therefore mean that any anti-social behaviour (drugs, alcohol, fighting etc) would then be a breach of a legally binding contract on tenancy, housing benefit, council tax benefit, as well as an offence under the anti-social behaviour law. And councils could threaten to withdraw any or all of the above, thereby treating these people as adults rather than misbehaving children.

I wonder what would have happened if tenants regularly received up to four letters every week telling them that they were in breach of their agreement for tenancy, or benefit, and that these things would be stopped should the problem continue? We in the real world have had to abide by legal agreements or lose them for years, so why should others be treated differently?

If we could only get the police, councils, and politicians to DO THEIR JOBS, there would not be any reason to surrender to this minority who are killing people by the thousands.

Jim McGregor
Kirkintilloch

ANOTHER far-sighted article by George Kerevan (Get ready for rush of nuclear projects as Tories try to tackle energy crisis, Sep 27). The development, building and distribution of mini nuclear power units is quietly being planned as major problems occur, such as Hinkley C in Essex. Doubtless an export market to the third world beckons.

If such schemes go ahead, the increasing danger of nuclear waste storage on a wider scale is only one problem. The spread of such a potentially lethal material would be a boon to terrorist organisations. Big business and the money boys are pushing the plan due to falling returns from existing programmes.

READ MORE: George Kerevan: Get ready for a rush to nuclear energy as Tories 'go green'

Climate change and nuclear proliferation could well go hand in hand in the obliteration of civilisation and many life forms on the planet. To continue with Tory rule and more Westminster insanity is a threat to us all. No more procrastination, the views of an independent Scotland must be heard on the world stage. Tomorrow is not too soon.

Iain R Thomson
Strathglass

THE West “won” the Cold War because of the Soviet Union’s sclerotic economy. It cannot possibly “win” a cold war against the country with has trillions in dollar resources and is the world’s largest source of manufactured goods. To initiate an arms race with China is madness.

Attempts to portray Chinese foreign policy as amounting to military aggression are so dishonest as to be amusing. Personally, I was campaigning for the rights of the Uyghurs in 2006, long before it became fashionable with politicians.

Stoking Chinese resentment by rapid militarisation of the pacific will make the situation of the Uyghurs worse, not better.

Craig Murray
HMP Saughton