Readers' Best Comments

The cost of prescribing methadone to addicts in the Lothians has soared by more than 1 million in two years.

The money would be better spent on a rehab centre. If we decide as a society that we want to really help these people help themselves then it's about the only way to do it.

Softly spoken mellow North Korean gentleman

It's not helping those with a dependency, it's prolonging it. Legalised drug-pushing. Some people are making a lot of money from it.

BBH

Unfortunately a lot of people on the methadone programme accept the daily dose as a free hit from the health board so that they can go about their business of scoring anything else that is available on the day, but these are the chronic drug users and only a percentage of the total amount using the programme.

fivecentslucy

There is another side-effect ... forcing Scots to flee the country. Apparently.

However necessary it is for junkies to receive their "substitute fix", I am rather fed up to the back teeth knowing that my taxes are paying for it. No wonder so many scots are leaving their country!

Farky

What about cold turkey then?

According to the accounts of cold turkey that I've read, it is a few days of climbing walls and is not particularly pleasant, however at the end of it, you're clean. Maybe we ought to start treating addicts this way as a matter of course? Not only would it save us 1 million per year but it would also drive home to them the importance of staying clean and would maybe knock some common sense into them at the same time.

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Well done. I'm surprised no-one has thought of this before. You should get down to the patent office before someone steals your innovative idea.

Filled Rolls

Councillors who claim complimentary bus passes to get to the City Chambers have been branded "hypocritical" by parents after hundreds of school children lost their right to free travel ... onliners had their say.

Free bus passes are cheaper than taxis and encourage councillors to travel with the public who vote for them and pay taxes.

The Lone Haranguer

If they have to take the bus to a meeting, why can't they use bus tickets or cash and claim on expenses for those? Surely the cost of a monthly bus pass would be far more than what they're actually using to "attend meetings".

Diana

Travel between home and normal workplace is rarely paid by any employer. If however your work requires you to travel outwith your normal workplace any necessary travelling expenses are then payable. Attending the City Chambers should be analogous to the former situation. Visiting meetings outwith the City Chambers should fall into the latter category.

Nitpicking

I don't understand why people expect Councillors to foot all their expenses from their own pocket? This leaves elected office as the preserve of the rich and, to be frank, if I was that rich I doubt I'd care to bother.

NotaNumberYet