Re: "Health dollars going to crack pipes, syringes", (Citizen, July 20)

In response to letter writer Dr. Mathews's commentary on health care costs for those unfortunate enough to have a drug-related addiction, I present the following comment.

The good doctor should know that these types of opiate addictions are extremely difficult to treat let alone police.

Decades of criminalization have not worked, and the judicial and penal costs alone are significantly higher than providing syringes in a safe environment.

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