22 hours Ago By Letters to the Editor
Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.We must do moreto stem fatal overdosesMother’s Day is a day that evokes joy for many, but it carries a painful significance for me.
I lost my son Eric to an overdose on Nov. 23, 2022, just three weeks shy of his 32nd birthday.His loss is part of a tragic statistic: More than 825,000 lives were lost from 2013-23, all preventable deaths.
For far too long, society has responded to substance use disorders with stigma and punishment rather than compassion and understanding. Harsh drug laws are ineffective, costly and steeped in systemic racism. Criminalization fills our prisons without addressing the root issues faced by those struggling with substance use disorders.
We must advocate for expanded access to evidence-based health strategies that have proven effective in saving lives. This includes making medications for opioid use disorder more widely available, increasing harm-reduction services and ensuring naloxone is distributed across all communities.Cara WykowskiOaklandSupport bill to regulatedangerous chemicalsBack in 2022, Consumer Reports found PFAs — cancer-causing chemicals — in food packaging at concentrations higher than 40 times the legal limit of countries like Denmark.
Luckily, the California Legislature recognized this public health crisis and passed AB 1200 to heavily regulate the usage of these chemicals.Today, we have a similar situation: phthalates and bisphenols, both shown to harm reproductive, developmental, gastrointestinal, metabolic, and respiratory health, are being used in food packaging at unacceptable concentrations. Today, we have a bill on the table, AB 1148, that would crack down on these families of chemicals and protect the health of Californians across the board.
I urge passage. Through impactful legislation, we have protected the public from carcinogens once before. We can surely do it again.
Vincent ChenBerkeleyAs we transition fromcoal, retrain minersFor years, I had the idea that former coal miners could be retrained to make solar panels. They have no jobs and cannot sell their homes. Solar energy will replace coal without its drawbacks.
Working in a coal mine causes lung problems, and I doubt that the president would like to see his sons there. It happened here on Mount Diablo, where miners worked a coal mine until oil was introduced. The small graveyard tells of early deaths.
Let’s go solar.Gun JohnstonDiabloDrunken driver doesn’tdeserve early releaseRe: “Feds, family members angered by pending early release of man who killed California teens” (April 24).I strongly oppose the early release of criminals, especially violent criminals.
Two young people were killed needlessly because of a drunken driver. There are no early releases for victims of violent crimes and their families. Why should violent criminals get out early while families of victims have to deal with what happened for the rest of their lives?This drunken driver was lucky that he only got 10 years, and he should be in prison for the whole time.
Marianne HaasBerkeleyLike it or not, Trumpkeeping promisesRe: “Letter turns reality of Trump on its head” (Page A6, April 18).In his letter, Edward Chainey laments the actions President Trump has taken since his election, stating that no one voted for Trump to do these things. In reality, Trump is doing exactly what he promised to do, and exactly the things he was elected to do.
Related ArticlesLetters: Americans don’t have a vested right to Social SecurityLetters: In Congress’ absence, citizens must lead resistanceLetters: Santa Clara County board must deny builder’s remedy plansLetters: Utilities regulator has become PG&E’s lapdogLetters: Trump’s AmeriCorps cuts are not making America greatPrevious campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George Bush, Trump and Joe Biden promised to solve these problems; only one has had the courage to actually do something about them. The writer completely ignores that the current state of affairs, with continuing deficits, government waste and fraud, resulting in ever-increasing debt, is unsustainable. We spent more on interest on the national debt last year than we did on defense.
Doing more of the same will not produce a different outcome, which we desperately need.Change is sometimes painful; achieving the desired outcome is worth the price, particularly when more of the same will only make matters worse.John GriggsDanville.
