Pubdate: Thu, 03 Aug 2017 Source: USA Today (US) Copyright: 2017 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/625HdBMl Website: http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/index.htm Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/466 Author: Robert Sharpe Letter to the editor: New approaches are definitely needed to battle the opioid epidemic. More drug war is not the answer. The rise in heroin overdose deaths is a result of a federal crackdown on prescription opioids. Criminalization of users increases the risk of overdose deaths and creates barriers to cost-effective drug treatment. The only winners in the war on drugs are drug cartels. The opioid commission created by President Trump failed to mention the potential role of marijuana in reducing overdose deaths. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that states with legal medical marijuana access have a 25% lower opioid overdose death rate. The phrase "if it saves one life" has been used to justify drug-war abuses. Legal marijuana access to ease pain has the potential to save thousands of lives. Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy; Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt