Letter: Regulate, oversee drug use

I have long felt that if we are going to make the use of street drugs legal, which I am in favor of, why do we not take the criminal element out of the picture? Why not provide street drugs, in some form, to addicts?

We could regulate drug potency, reduce overdoses, and have their availability part of a drug treatment and counseling program for those wanting to get off drugs and better their lives.

My sister was addicted to heroin in the 1970s and was part of the methadone program in Portland. She received her dose legally at a clinic, got counseling and got off drugs.

It makes no sense to me that you can legally have drugs, but procuring them is illegal, and we then support a network of criminals importing and selling drugs on the street.

I also wonder how much of the thievery in and around our homes are addicts looking for a few bucks to buy their drugs with.

Why not control the cycle of drug importers (and manufacturers), their customers, and the resulting theft for procurement?