EDITORIAL: Thursday letters: Act now against opioid prescribers; Democrats will lose in 2020

Jan. 10--Act against opioid prescribers

While Florida law enforcement is making inroads into the influx of opioids transported into the state and reducing the number of pill mills, we must ensure action is taken against not only those manufacturing these drugs, but also against those continuing to prescribe them in overwhelming amounts and with little regard for the disastrous impact upon their patients and our communities.

It is hoped that House Bill 21 dealing with the prescribing of opioids will begin to have a positive impact in reducing the number and frequency with which these drugs are prescribed and dispensed.

Many of us have personally suffered the loss of a loved one due to an overdose as a result of little or no restrictions on prescribing of opioids by licensed physicians.

We cannot only hold drug companies responsible for this epidemic. Responsibility also lies with those who prescribe and dispense these drugs in alarming amounts.

Joanne Grealy Richter

Fort Lauderdale

Democrats bound to lose in 2020

In response to the "lengthy" letter to you regarding the $5 billion wall and the disgusting portrayal of our President ... may I reply with that you make choices in life and President Trump is trying to protect us by not allowing 10,000 immigrants to enter the United States illegally.

Protecting the United States of America is first and foremost his job. The problem we have now is Nancy Pelosi and her band of "gangster Democrats" trying to make a statement because they do not care about our safety. They care about going after our president. Unfortunately, they are going to lose this game because Trump is the president and he will decide very shortly his decision.

The best part of what is going on today is that the Democrats will lose in 2020 due to their non-civility and their inability to negotiate anything.

Kate Phelan

Boca Raton

Trump and the ex-presidents

Vice President Pence recently said that President Trump's unfounded claim that the four living former presidents (Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama), endorsed his idea of a wall along our southern border was only an "impression."

Trump, last week, made false statements that he had been contacted by "some" of the former presidents who told him they wished they'd built a border wall. Spokespeople for all four denied such communication had occurred.

Trump is a dyed-in-the wool psychological liar. And, by the way,t hat's not my "impression." It's my ultimate belief.

Donald Kogan,

Boca Raton

Gun rights defense appalling

I was appalled by the writer who defended his stance on guns while attacking abortion rights. He claims that since the 2nd Amendment was ratified in 1791, that there should be no other gun laws. In 1791, the brand new United States had fewer than five million people, with most living in rural areas. The British still had a large army in Canada. The Spanish were in the west. The French held large tracts of the South and Midwest.

The new United States had virtually no standing Army or Navy, and self-defense was necessary.

The framers of the 2nd Amendment understood that when they began by writing, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state..." The framers of the 2nd Amendment could not have imagined the slaughter caused by today's military style assault weapons.

The 2nd Amendment is outdated, and dangerous, and should be repealed.

Fred Muenz

Delray Beach,

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