Smart move on treatment

I wish to express my appreciation to our county commissioners for giving funds to expand the methadone treatment program of the Spokane County Health District for 142 more patients. This action will really benefit our community in many more ways than just reducing the present epidemic of narcotic overdose deaths.

Substance abuse is a huge factor in so many of our social problems, property crime, domestic violence, child abuse, etc. Reducing the demand for drugs is the best way to spend our tax dollars wisely. We have a long and unsuccessful history of spending more money on law enforcement, and it has not been effective.

Smart justice reforms will work better. Eliminating the long waiting list for methadone treatment and providing methadone treatment for jail inmates are significant firsts for Spokane. Help these patients get back to being clean and serving useful lives.

I commend our commissioners, Al French, Shelly O’Quinn and Josh Kerns, for this act of political bravery. Now if our state legislators will step up also.

Michael Mainer, emergency medicine physician

Spokane