The Day’s Associated Press article on fentanyl deaths, “States seek solutions as fentanyl deaths keep rising,” (April 4), once more shows the abysmal failure of America’s drug laws, which are heavily based on Nixon’s fraudulent ‘War on Drugs (see Harper’s, 4/2016).’ It is glaringly obvious that, as one police chief said, “we can’t arrest our way out of our drug problem.” The only sensible solution is to decriminalize all drugs.

Interdiction stops only a tiny percentage of drugs from coming over our borders. Jailing offenders destroys individuals, families, and overcrowds our prisons. Untold billions — trillions even — squandered on enforcement and incarceration should be shifted to addiction treatment, both effective and far less expensive.

Legalizing drugs will eliminate today’s violent drug trade which, like prohibition in the roaring twenties, is controlled by warring thugs. Better still, drug users will know the content and strength of legalized drugs. Overdoses will of course still happen, but they will be far fewer. Perhaps, too, a dose of lifesaving naloxone could be included in every legal drug sale.

Legalized drugs can be regulated, and taxed, like sales of alcohol and tobacco —bo th addictive drugs as dangerous or more so than illegals. It is past time to get rational about drugs.

Sanford (Sandy) D'Esopo

Old Lyme