To the Editor:
Re “How Should We Do Drugs Now?,” by Michael Pollan (Sunday Review, July 11):
Mr. Pollan rightly applauds the nation’s turn away from the drug war and its many toxic effects. Unfortunately, he has little to say about the ravages caused by the drugs themselves. From his article, it’s hard to tell that America has for years been in the grip of a devastating opioid epidemic and that it’s getting worse. In 2020, a record 93,000 people died from drug overdoses — nearly 30 percent more than in 2019.
Overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by about a quarter, while those involving methamphetamine and other psychostimulants rose by about a third.