Check out where runs are made

Congratulations on the Jan. 13 Dispatch editorial “A smart way to boost public health,” which advocated “community paramedics” who could reduce needless fire department ambulance runs to emergency departments by frequent 911 callers.

This is a great plan. A suggestion: These “community paramedics,” or other fire-department or policedepartment personnel, or even volunteers, could reduce other unnecessary runs by visiting buildings from which repeated unnecessary emergency calls have been made. They could learn from residents how to contact the (usually absent) landlord, who is likely not even aware of these calls being made or of the fires, crimes or other emergencies which result in these calls.

Such emergencies often result in damage to the building itself and to the landlord’s and building’s reputation and rental value.

The landlord would then be strongly encouraged to take action with the tenants to stop the problems, which would of course be in the landlord’s own interest as well as the public’s. This would be a win-win situation.

John Pettibone Columbus 2016 alone, we saw overdose deaths increase by 124 percent. Most experts agree the staggering death toll will continue to grow unless something is done to curb this epidemic.

Drug traffickers easily peddle illicit substances in our state and have made themselves at home in our communities. As overdose deaths skyrocketed 212 percent in the past four years, traffickers being sentenced to prison dropped by 4 percent. Ohio law is too weak to deter drug traffickers from continuing to flood our streets with their deadly substances. If we are serious about combating the drug epidemic in Ohio, we need to be resolute in eradicating these organizations from our state.

That is why I introduced the Drug Trafficking Deterrence Act. If passed, this legislation will increase trafficking penalties of drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil and will require judges to sentence these criminals to prison. No longer will drug dealers be able to operate in our state with little fear for the law.

We must have laws that protect our sons and daughters from those who seek to profit from their addiction and death. With the introduction of my bill, drug traffickers should consider themselves on notice; we are bringing the fight to them.

Rep. Scott Wiggam 1st Ohio House District Wooster