March 3.

The report about the 50p increase in cost per prescription item, and

increased dental charges, announced just before the Budget, indicates

that the sick are being viewed unsympathetically by the Treasury (March

3).

This fund-raising process must return a considerable profit where many

prescription items cost less than the #4.25 to be charged from April.

A course of antibiotics is about 50p for 10 days' supply.

Many illnesses and conditions requiring treatment are self-induced by

the ill-informed consumer, for example chest infections linked with

smoking and dental decay due to excess confectionery, sugar-saturated

acidic soft drinks, and poor dental hygiene, and yet tobacco advertising

continues unabated and Scots have long had the poorest dentition in

Europe.

The revenue on tobacco alone is in excess of #5800m per annum and

tobacco-related deaths in the UK are 110,000 for the same period.

The West of Scotland, in common with Northern Ireland, has the highest

death rate due to preventable lung cancer and heart disease directly

linked to consumer lifestyle. Behind this unacceptable figure very many

more are sick and require medication.

People on low incomes are more likely to smoke, drink in excess,

consume fast foods loaded with fat and sugar, and lack motivation to

exercise.

This lifestyle carries a high risk of avoidable illnesses, pain, and

early death.

Protecting children must have a greater priority, and compulsory

health education in Scottish schools and banning tobacco advertising and

sponsorship should be worthy of serious consideration if the disease

pattern is not to be repeated.

Taxing the sick while keeping them and their children uninformed to

the preventable causes suggests that profit comes before people's

health, and that must be morally wrong.

George Bandeen,

Charity Project Manager,

Disease Prevention Organisation,

31 Lockhart Street,

Stonehouse.