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Trump’s plan: Help addicts; stop dealers

Trump’s suggestion that some especially evil traffickers in illegal drugs may deserve the death penalty received some negative feedback this week, including by U.S. Rep. Timothy Ryan, D-Howland.

Ryan, who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus, applauded Trump for some parts of his plan, including funding proposals, but he was critical of the president’s plan to propose the death penalty for drug dealers. Ryan also commented negatively about the time it took the president to offer the plan and his call to put the death penalty on the table for some dealers.

“I am disappointed that President Trump felt the need to include an extremely dangerous policy that would encourage prosecutors to seek the death penalty against drug dealers,” Ryan said. “I am all for punishing drug dealers, but I’m not for pushing the death penalty. Right now we have a system that continues to execute innocent people.”

Just days after Trump called for stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that are hurting America’s industry, it should be no surprise that the president would offer such a hardline approach to opioid drug dealers.

That no-nonsense approach also showed up earlier this month, during a visit to southwestern Pennsylvania, when Trump remarked that, “The only way to solve the drug problem is through toughness.”

That may be true when it comes to stopping dealers, but we still are happy to see the president’s plan unveiled earlier this week also contained two critical elements — better education about the hazards of substance abuse; and expanding opportunities for drug addicts to get the treatment they need to escape the vicious trap in which they have become enmeshed.

How vicious? Opioid drugs ranging from prescription pain pills to fentanyl killed more than 42,000 Americans during 2016.

We believe the overwhelming majority of those at risk of opioid addiction or substance abuse have no intention of harming others. They are physically addicted to certain drugs, and they need help.

Undoubtedly, however, it’s the dealers who need to be stopped. Strict and harsh sentences handed down after conviction may help slow the spread. Frankly, we can’t see any reason not to take a hardline approach against suppliers of these illegal drugs that are killing members of our community on a daily basis.

We hope an initiative can be implemented with both a hefty dose of treatment options as well as a hard-nosed approach to those who know full well they are selling death in plastic bags.

editorial@tribtoday.com

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