Last April, some days after the shooting at a Foresta 2000 ranger at dawn, I wrote that the phenomenon of hunting and trapping in Malta espouses addictive traits (TMID, 21 April). We are now being told by some hunters that suicide is increasingly common among them but that there is nothing wrong with addicted hunters. Do these hunters know what characterises an addict?

The addict yearns for his addiction and cannot live without it. All other needs and values, from his own life to that of his own family and obviously the lives of other people come second to the addict. The more addiction spreads, the more it undermines lives, security and the well being of a whole society.

We urgently need to address addiction among hunters. We have misclassified the problem of hunting in Malta far too long as a mere environmental issue. The problem begs for a psychological approach and corrective action.

Agnes Debono

Kercem