DEAR EDITOR - In response to the story of the underpass plagued by drugs in last week's issue of the Droitwich Spa Advertiser, I am writing to show my outrage in what I read.

Local residents have complained of noise and drug taking till late at night in the underpass, which I can understand - they don't want people doing that where they live.

But what harm are they doing? It is somewhere they can go away from town and keep themselves to themselves while they relax and talk. Which is what they do.

There is nothing harmful going on, just a bit of cannabis.

Where else do youths go in this town? They have nowhere. What are they supposed to do? They have nothing.

If they were drinking alcohol it wouldn't even have made it into the paper because people believe getting drunk is ok.

People don't mind other people drinking which causes them to shout, cause trouble and be aggressive but when teenagers are smoking cannabis it's different.

The stereotypical view of drug takers appears in their minds. The teens that hang down there would never be aggressive or cause trouble because they just want to relax.

If you have ever been through the underpass when the youths are there, no way is it intimidating because they are all sat down talking and having a laugh.

What would you prefer? Walking through the underpass when a group of drunks are there shouting, being aggressive and leaving cans and bottles every where, or when a group of teens are sitting down talking? I know what I would choose.

Letter by email from Louis Hemming