Thanks for the holiday cheer

A quick thank you to the City of Sequim and private Sequim businesses for keeping their “Holiday Lights” up past Jan. 1!

It’s so dark for most of January, and even parts of February, that I just wanted someone to know how much I have enjoyed the lights at Pioneer Memorial Park, the “Bank of America” park and the poles in downtown Sequim.

Karla Morgan

Sequim

The MAT dilemma

No one has a clue as to what can be done to effectively cure opioid addiction. There is no estimate to be found as to what has been spent these last 10 years in medicine-assisted treatment (MAT) facilities all over our 50 states.

What we do know though is that the successful recovery rate for addicts one year after they have received treatment is less than 10 percent! (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3992357/)!

The question is, what becomes of the 90 addicts who have not been helped out of a group of 100? How do they generate funds to continue their addiction and where do those in this group that are “homeless” go? What further expenses will be incurred, at taxpayer expense, in hospitals, jails, and with law enforcement? How many assaults and robberies will be traced to these individuals looking for funds to continue their addiction? How much more are we willing to spend with poor results and decreased public safety?

John Mackay

Sequim

‘Broad public need’ for MAT facility

There is broad public need for the proposed Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe outpatient medical clinic for hundreds of residents of Clallam and Jefferson Counties who will avail themselves of the medicine-assisted treatment (MAT) opioid treatment program services.

Evidence-based facts about medicine-assisted treatment include that it:

• saves lives;

• decreases the rate of overdose;

• decreases the risk of intravenous infections;

• improves outcomes for pregnant women and their babies;

• improves social determinants of health;

• is often not sought by people because of stigma and shame ;

• is not substituting one drug for another;

• is the gold standard of care;

• is a harm reduction strategy;

• decreases workload for law enforcement and correctional facility staff; it does the same for our Emergency Department, inpatient hospital staff and first responders;

• increases the likelihood a patient will seek and maintain employment and enables them to lead fulfilling and productive lives; and,

• helps to stabilize a patient so that any co-occurring mental health issues can be diagnosed and treated

(Sources: nature.com, nationalacademies.org, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, archives.drugabuse.gov, samhsa.gov, acog.org, lac.org, pewtrusts.org, ruralhealthinfo.org, jamanetwork.com, zoobooksystems.com, chapmanrehab.com)

The current opioid epidemic, even with primary care MAT available, is overwhelming our jail, emergency department, hospital inpatient units, and law enforcement. This outpatient clinic will bring together multiple services to assist clients on the road to recovery, including: medical care, dental care, daily dose MAT, childcare, social service assistance, behavioral health care and transportation — thus removing multiple barriers to treatment by offering all services in one central location.

Ann Marie Henninger, RN

Sequim

A simple solution

Women have autonomy over their own bodies: An obvious, necessary predilection for happiness and well-being. A simple concept which frightens and angers a lot of people.

Women make many life choices: work, college, military, travel — and family planning. Too many busy bodies try to intercede early on when any girl becomes of child bearing age.

Blamed are the dictates of their religion, or family/cultural tradition, or the perceived role/destiny of women. All excuses, having nothing to do with women who want to control their own lives.

Other meddlers would put a woman or girl — and her medical providers — in jail (or to death) for deciding not to carry a pregnancy to term. Even if raped or forced into incest, the outcry to prevent her from independent thought and action is harsh.

Hideous is the acquiescence and shame embalmed in the mind of girls and women who feel they must tolerate the mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse of trespassing intruders.

Here is a simple solution to end this fuss. At puberty, heterosexual male children shall have reversible vasectomies. It will remain intact until mature manhood is obtained, he ready to embrace the roles of loving, responsible husband and father. Swearing an oath toward these goals, his vasectomy is reversed, procreation begins, and he lives happily ever after.

And so do all the women and girls who won’t fret about being impregnated and bearing the brutal, vociferous crucifixion for desiring autonomy.

Gayle Brauner

Port Angeles

Consider a ‘change of course’

Our city has prospered, undoubtedly guided in the right direction by management who had a larger view of our potential as an independent municipality.

I’m sure in past years there were many enticing offers that came our way and it is evident choices made were in the best interests of our local citizens.

Today, we see a trend to apply a template approach to city planning and development which is programmed into our taught leaders who dutifully follow along hoping to please the purveyor’s of progressive idealism.

Our current escapade into the unknown has divided this city in a very short time. One can only conclude it’s not in the best interests of our community.

Community development does not have to be divisive or destructive!

A recent newspaper article referred to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as a symptom of stress! Sometimes we bring stress to ourselves and others by choices we make!

Can we change course and relieve ourselves of all this self inflicted harm to health and happiness?

Gary Miller

Sequim