Attorney General Larry Mussenden last night hit back at the use of the word ?junkies? in a headline of Tuesday?s edition of .

?Having read the story I want to make it clear that at no time during the interview did I refer to anybody as a junky,? Mr. Mussenden said. ?Instead I refer to them as people who are addicted to drugs?.

He said he was ?rather disappointed? that would choose to label people who are addicted to drugs as junkies.

?But I am even more disappointed that they would choose to associate the term junkies with the interview they had with me,? he said.

As the only daily newspaper in Bermuda, Mr. Mussenden said ?should have a sense of responsibility in their decisions for headlines and trying to sensationalise a story?.

?I would think that would be much more caring when they are dealing with sensitive and difficult subjects,? he said.

The Attorney General pointed out that he could not recall drugs addicts in court reports being referred to as junkies.

?So I find it rather disheartening they would do so for the sake of a headline,? he said.

?We in Bermuda have to confront some serious matters but I think we can do it in a sense of compassion and caring, which was the message I was trying to convey.?

And he added that should apologise to the whole community for using the word. However he did not find offence with the contents of the news feature.

Last night editor Bill Zuill said: ?Mr. Mussenden is entitled to his opinion. While it is true that ?junkie? is a slang term, I do not consider it to be pejorative.

?Indeed, it is taken from the addicts? own slang for heroin ? junk ? and has since then slipped into more general use to refer to all addicts.

?But I am happy to take Mr. Mussenden?s point and if others share it, then we will take their views into consideration in the future.?