No Matter Their Status, a Junkie Is Still a Junkie

This is response to your article (Jan. 25) about “Middle-Class Junkies.” What is a “middle-class junkie”? It sounds to me like you’re rating heroin abuse according to the user’s income level. As far as I’m concerned, a junkie is a junkie, and I am very well informed since I lived with one of the “middle-class junkies” interviewed in your article.

I spent months in hospitals and drug programs trying to learn about his addictions, so I could help him. One of the things I learned is that the junkie in a business suit is no more “middle class” than the junkie on the street. When they run out of junk, and finances get low, they will sell their soul, their lover’s soul, or anything valuable within reach. No matter what class they are in, they need the fix, and will do anything to get it.

I believe your article glorified a sick habit, and made it look like as long as there is money, heroin addiction is not so bad. All they have to do is enter into a program and come out clean. Wrong!

The junkie I lived with was in and out of programs for more than 12 years, and your article makes it look like he just “kicked” for the first time. I hope he kicked this time for good, because “old middle-class junkies” are really disgusting.

Status symbols don’t justify self-destructive behavior, which very often becomes destructive to others as well!

NANCY E. EBERT

Encino