There are many issues in America about which I often scratch my head and wonder why they still exist. For instance, I am wondering why people are shocked and outraged over the ever-increasing opioid problem in 2017 America? Are people still surprised that the government-sponsored prohibition of a money-making addictive product fails to solve the problem? Do they not know that such prohibitions have never worked on any such substance in the history of mankind? Do they still want to throw criminal justice funds and efforts at what is a social problem and, if they do, will they again be surprised when it doesn’t work?

I would think that it would be time to say “Stop. Wait. Is there some other way to deal with this problem?” or even, gasp, ask those countries that have solved this problem what they did to solve it.

But we won’t do that, will we? Our car is stuck in the snow and we are ineffectively spinning the tires. While others have unstuck their cars, we are ignoring them while asking for more gas money.

Until we decide that this is only a law and order issue because we are making it one, the issue will continue to exist and people will continue to die. Try not to be surprised when they do.

Anthony Winslow, Gray