Sources of Addiction

Michael Lemonick and Alice Park examined the addictions many of us struggle with every day [Sept. 10]. Society often labels alcoholics and other addicts as moral failures, despite medical evidence to the contrary. The sad truth is that the active addict may experience a physical, psychological or even spiritual high and no longer make healthy, rational decisions. With the help of the medical community and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, addicts can manage their disease.
Michele Rugo, MURPHYS, CALIF. U.S.

There is a very large gap between recognizing how addiction looks on a brain scan and developing therapies that are effective enough to safely abolish addictive behavior. Once a safe and effective candidate drug is discovered, a minimum of five years is needed before the Food and Drug Administration can deem it safe to administer to millions of addicts. We are at least a decade away from even starting such trials. Addiction is a side effect of the positive evolutionary pressures to respond to pleasurable stimuli by seeking repeat stimulation. Alcoholics Anonymous is one form of therapy that we can depend on to be effective in reducing addictive behavior. Brain scans will someday lead to improved therapy, but not for many years to come.
David P. Vernon, TUCSON, ARIZ., U.S.

As the neuroscientist who discovered vigabatrin for drug addiction, I was extremely pleased with the breadth and accuracy of "The Science of Addiction." The use of vigabatrin as a potential treatment for drug addiction derives directly from advances made in nuclear medicine imaging research at Brookhaven National Laboratory. If successful, its impact will be felt worldwide. Taxpayer-funded institutions like Brookhaven truly help support the translation of discoveries made in the laboratory to treatments for patients afflicted with life-threatening illnesses, including drug addiction. Continued political support and financial investment in scientific research are vital to maintaining our way of life and that of those to follow after we're gone.
Stephen L. Dewey MANORVILLE, NEW YORK, U.S.

They've Got Game
Lev Grossman painted a wonderful picture of Halo 3, making it sound like the next game of the year [Sept. 10]. He stated that the story is "rich and complicated in ways that we're not used to in video games." But long before Halo 3 was conceived, there were The Legend of Zelda and the Castlevania and Metroid series. Even the more recent Mario games have a deep story line. Halo's formula is to introduce a masked spaceman hero, put him on a strange outpost in space and antagonize him with aggressive aliens.
Adrian Goldberg, LAGUNA HILLS, CALIF., U.S.

Grossman referred to hard-core video-game fans as "an invisible subculture." Here I am, 24 years old, loving life. I've got a great job and a huge circle of great friends, and I will be getting my M.B.A. in a couple of years. I know a bit about art and music, and I get daily updates on world events. And I love video games. How is a well-crafted game (of which there are a good bunch) different from a good novel?
Angel Darquea, SANTA MONICA, CALIF., U.S.

The 9/11 Candidate
Rudy Giuliani has no platform other than the fable he spins of what he did on 9/11 [Sept. 10]. The blood money he has pulled in from speaking engagements and his campaign fearmongering are more than this former Republican can stand. Someone needs to ask Giuliani why he doesn't have the support of many of the 9/11 first responders or their unions.
Jenn Coolidge, LAKELAND, FLA., U.S.

Candidates for high office have to have a theme and a reason for running. If ever a man has met his moment, Giuliani has. You can bet the farm that he will be elected by an overwhelming majority and prove to be one of the truly great Presidents — and world leaders — we have ever known. Just as he was in the face of his opponents when he was mayor of New York City, as President he will confront all the U.S.'s enemies — domestic and foreign — and he will ride roughshod over them, doing whatever it takes to secure America. Thank God for giving us this man at this historical moment. This is not a time for sissies, political posers or come-lately lightweights.
James Harrison Cohen, NEW YORK CITY

Giuliani and the republicans keep trying to convince us that only they are tough enough to fight terrorists and keep us safe. To believe that, you have to forget their track record. I seem to recall that on 9/11 the terrorists boarded planes in a state that had a Republican Governor and did their worst damage in a city that had a Republican mayor and a state that had a Republican Governor — all while a Republican was in the White House.
Ron Spiegel, PHILADELPHIA