Focus on treatment, not recreational drug use, letter says

Focus on treatment, not recreational drug use

So what do these issues have in common, if anything? Over the past two years, the Delaware General Assembly has been pressured to legalize recreational use of marijuana, resulting in H.B. 110, which has yet to be released from committee. In the meantime, 345 people died last year from opioid-related overdoses in Delaware. 

Well, both marijuana and opioids are drugs, and we have enough issues with drugs, both legal and illegal, without creating more. Thus, as a healthcare practitioner, I urge the legislators of our State to vote against legalization of recreational use of marijuana.

Rather, I suggest our state and local leaders focus and learn more about harm-reduction programs. Such alternatives, along with expanded treatment programs, have shown significant evidence in the drop of opioid related overdoses and death. Such programs enable those addicted to be exposed to treatment options and help to hopefully break the cycle of addiction. 

In addition, relax regulations so more medical cannabis treatment centers can be opened in all parts of the state, along with the elimination of cumbersome restrictions so that those folks who can benefit from medical cannabis have better access. Folks suffering from debilitating pain may find some relief with medical cannabis as an alternative treatment with opioids.

It’s worth my tax dollars!

Karl S. Schumann, R.Ph

Wilmington

Gun control won't really protect students

In the six weeks since the Parkland tragedy, Governor Carney and the Democrats in the General Assembly have shown that they care nothing about truly improving the safety and security of our schools. They have acted aggressively to introduce one anti-gun bill after another, none of which will do anything to prevent a school shooting in Delaware.

Where is the legislation for things that would help? How about improving the physical security of our school buildings? How about providing for an increase in trained and armed plain-clothes security personnel, whether they be retired law enforcement, ex-military or properly trained faculty and staff?

How about legislation to improve mental health care, identify people who are dangerous to others and limit their access to weapons of any kind? No, they will not do anything that might actually help.

Our state’s Bloomberg minions only want to keep assaulting the rights of the law-abiding. 

Curtis Clements

Wilmington

Time to amend the Second Amendment

The Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Our new government of the United States did not have a standing army. It was made up of 13 free independent states, and each state had its own militia.

The militias were not a standing army. The states did not issue arms to the citizens; they had to buy their own arms.

Today's citizen has no need to bear arms other than for hunting and self-protection of one's home. Our national government has a standing army and a reserve and the states all have a National Guard.

Arms are issued to citizens after they join the armed forces; they don't buy their own arms. We do not bring home those rifles, hand grenades, tanks, rockets, mortars, airplanes or other weapons. We just bring ourselves home, knowing we did our best to serve our country.

I support the Second Amendment right to bear arms for hunting and self protection but I don't support the ownership of military assault weapons. So I ask: Is it time we amend the Second Amendment to apply to today's standards?                                    

Roy Birl

Wilmington

Why won't women's PAC include conservatives?

There was a line missing from that lengthy story about Meghan Wallace and her Mary Ann's List campaign to recruit more females for political office in Delaware. The missing line: "Conservative women need not apply."

Bennett Smith

Wilmington