To the editor: Portman wages the opioid war

2/1/2018

The Blade’s Jan. 23 editorial, “Actually wage the drug war,” should be required reading for all members of Congress and senior management of the U.S. Postal Service.

Two days after it appeared, Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) chaired a riveting hearing where it was clear to all, Democrat and Republican, that we need to do a much better job tracking international mail from China so that large amounts of opioids are intercepted. The way to do it is to require — not suggest or hope for — advanced electronic data (AED) on all incoming mail. Otherwise, large quantities of opioids enter America.

With AED and advanced analytics, law enforcement is much more likely to find and seize this poison. The U.S. Postal Service’s refusal to support this measure, even though private carriers are already required by law to provide this information, is troubling. AED is also a relatively simple technology to implement.

Sen. Portman’s persistence in pushing this legislation is important, and is gaining broad and bipartisan support. It is urgently needed.

PAUL STEIDLER
Arlington, Virginia

Editor’s note: Mr. Steidler is a senior fellow at the Lexington Institute, a public policy think-tank.

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County jail needs discipline

I have been reading about the problems recently encountered at the Lucas County jail. Plugged toilets? Covering oneself with a blanket for a disguise? Passing notes between inmates?

These are the type of problems encountered everyday by well-trained, informed junior high teachers. If the current employees of the jail cannot handle this type of juvenile social activity that occurs every day in our schools, hire some well-trained, dedicated teachers instead of these so-called guards we currently have in the system.

DANIEL GOODENOW
Bowling Green

Maumee for Monnette’s

After the shock of losing The Andersons, Monnette’s is riding to the rescue with a proposed new store on the corner of Conant and Wayne in the heart of uptown Maumee.

Monnette’s is a great retailing concept, a Monnette’s Market and cafe. It will be a welcome addition to our uptown businesses, food truck summers, fireworks, and parades. It’ll be the perfect spot after a day of hiking or fishing.

I expect it will help bring our community and neighbors together.

PHILIP LANGLEY-JONES
Maumee

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