Monday and Tuesday's editions of The Northern Echo highlight a worrying "Emperors New Clothes" phenomenon.

On Monday the paper had a story highlighting the problems and dangers of legal highs.

Tuesday had a full page article detailing problems caused by a "legal high," much more readily available – alcohol.

Not only does it take up huge amounts of police time and effort, it also accounts for a large chunk of the NHS budget, not to mention the harassment of staff.

Its "psychoactive effects" make some of our town and city centres a nightmares on a weekend.

Yet any attempt to control its sale and distribution (as it used to be) is resisted. Not just by those making fortunes from it, but also by its ordinary uses. Talk about the elephant in the room!

Bill Bartle, Barnard Castle.