Everyone knows that not only Maine but the nation has a drug epidemic; in fact, it is a pandemic.

So, who shows up at the recent “secret drug summit”? Politicians, attorney general, U.S. attorney, commissioners, Drug Enforcement Agency and Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco officials, state police, sheriffs, national guard, etc., etc.

They all decided that they needed a “heavy approach” of law enforcement. If they take care of the demand, the corridors will dry up. Haven’t they been doing that for years? How has that worked for them? The prisons are full.

If that thinking does not change, we will soon lose another generation to drug overdoses.

No one learns: Drug addiction is a medical problem — period!

In the same paper that reported about the drug summit, an article stated that two drug facilities were closing because of lack of funds. Shame.

I think that law enforcement just wants more dollars and personnel.

The same thing happened with the Augusta Mental Health Institute. The courts got involved, appointed a “master” over AMHI and put most of the patients all out in the community. Now the majority of them are in prisons.

This is also the fault of the hospitals for not getting involved because there is no money involved in it.

The government tends to take the path of least resistance and divert our tax money to law enforcement.

Richard P. Brackett, Gardiner

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