Drugs: Criminalization has adverse consequences

Re: “Trump investigation overkill means less focus on real issues,” (TNT, 8/30).

The reported deaths of 72,000 people in 2017 from drug overdoses are being referenced frequently in the news these days.

Many of these deaths are due to people obtaining black market mystery powders of unknown strength and using them, They are casualties of the war on drugs, which has been going on for the past century.

I recommend reading “Chasing the Scream” by Johann Hari, published in 2015. He explores the history and consequences of the prohibition of opioids, cocaine and marijuana in a way that has given me pause about supporting the continued criminalization of the use of these drugs.