Dear Editor:
Understanding there has been an increase in "accidental" deaths from drug abuse, let us understand what can be done to reduce these deaths, and what measures our state representatives are endorsing, which would only invade the privacy of law-abiding citizens.
At the National Institute on Drug Abuse website, drug abuse.gov, I observe fully half of these deaths are from heroin, and that one-third are from cocaine. Clearly, we are not talking about legally prescribed, physician-monitored drug-related deaths, in large part.
Further, one narcotic "associated with recent overdoses are produced in clandestine laboratories. This non-pharmaceutical (repeat, non-pharmaceutical) drug is sold can be mixed with heroine or cocaine."
Our state representatives seemed to just "want to do something," establish a state bureaucracy to monitor citizens, who are legally prescribed narcotic drugs. This will do nothing to reduce these "accidental" deaths from heroin, cocaine, or from drugs brewed in clandestine laboratories.
Why not address legislation to the criminal activities, and leave noncriminal citizens alone? Why? Because there are already laws on the books.
We used to be a Free People!
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