In the headlines, “Heroin is a disease,” (Feb. 17), though commendable, isn’t accurate. Heroin is just one substance that, like many, can cause the disease of addiction. As one long free of his addiction to another substance, alcohol, I’m concerned because the recent publicity over heroin deaths masks the fact that alcohol is a deadlier killer. Alcohol-related deaths dwarf those caused by all illegal drugs combined.

Despite my near-fatal addiction, like all serious observers I don’t suggest banning John Barleycorn; Prohibition failed miserably. But so, all too obviously, has the so-called War on Drugs. In fact, the war has only made things worse.

It’s past time that we consider legalizing all drugs.

With well-planned, carefully regulated legalization, drug potencies could be established, greatly reducing accidental overdose deaths by letting users know what they’re taking. Violent illegal trafficking would diminish or even end, possibly making our cities livable again. The untold billions saved from law enforcement, and prisons, where so many lives are ruined, would be invested in treatment, effective and vastly less costly than incarceration. Finally, legalizing would create jobs and much-needed tax revenues.

From the insanity of our current policies, sensible legalization would restore us to sanity.

Sanford (Sandy) D'Esopo

Old Lyme