Kratom bill could harm people in recovery

Forest Hills: There is an important conversation to be had about how New York should regulate kratom-derived products. Consumers deserve safe products, accurate labels and strong protections against underage sales. But many New Yorkers also rely on these products to manage chronic pain, help with withdrawal or mitigate PTSD. They deserve to have their experiences taken seriously and their access protected.

The bill S.8925-A/A.9156-B now being considered in the Legislature recognizes only one side of that debate. It would remove many 7-OH products from the market entirely. The evidence does not support the claim that responsible adult use of 7-OH has created a public health crisis in this state. Yet, the idea that these products are too dangerous to be sold is being treated as settled. That is neither fair nor just. That matters to me personally. 7-OH helped me leave opioids behind and rebuild my life. It has also helped my brother and close friends who were struggling as well. Lawmakers should not treat experiences like ours as irrelevant.

Few issues are entirely one-sided. Public policy should be grounded in that realism. We should not allow kratom-derived products to be marketed with exaggerated claims or sold without clear rules. But we also should not treat every unfamiliar product as a crisis. Lawmakers should reject S.8925-A/A.9156-B and pursue regulation that respects both sides of this debate.

Drew Wolfson

Consistent stance

Pleasantville, N.Y.: It didn’t come as a surprise to me that Mayor Mamdani didn’t march in the Israel Day Parade considering his stance on Israel. Making that decision could cost him the Jewish vote, especially those Jews who did vote for him in the last election. However, being Israeli-born myself, I do thank all of the politicians and other figures who were there when I saw them on Sunday.

Tal Barzilai

Self-sabotaging support

Brooklyn: Given the mayor’s past statements and actions, it’s no surprise that he boycotted the parade. What’s more important is that he has signaled that he’s going to be against the Jewish residents of the city, demonstrated by some actions in the past. And what’s more upsetting is that many Jews voted for him despite knowing his antisemitic views.

Lloyd A. Cohen

Freedom from consequences

Bradley Beach, N.J.: Re “DOJ Carroll lawsuit probe is more Trump abuse” (editorial, May 31): The argument that the sycophantic conduct of Trump’s Department of Justice will come back to haunt its members after Trump leaves office is unconvincing. There’s little precedent for our federal government to prosecute crimes of the empowered elite. The Justice Department under recent Democratic administrations failed to bring closure to many major white-collar crimes. Remember the predatory mortgage crisis. In March 2009, I drove through Lee County, Fla. I saw for-sale signs on home after home and homeowners sitting on their lawns with their possessions, hoping to sell their furniture. The government later reimbursed the perpetrators (investment bankers) with a $700 billion bailout. It shouldn’t be surprising that many of those Floridians would now see Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump as their deliverance. This failure diminishes enthusiasm for democracy for all but the wealthiest Americans.

Marc H. Lavietes

Casual killing

Scranton, Pa.: Another U.S. strike on an “alleged” drug boat recently killed three narcotics couriers — or fishermen — in the eastern Pacific Ocean. I can easily envision the day when this administration paints bullseyes on American cities where drugs already are rather than on where they are coming from. The bombs could be dropped not only on boats, but on blue cities that fall short on MAGA votes.

Vin Morabito

Drastic distractions

Bronx: It was egregious enough when Trump pardoned the rioters who stormed the Capitol and beat up police officers using bear spray and other implements, for which they were rightfully convicted. Now he wants to compensate them by creating a slush fund using taxpayer money? Unbelievable! He wanted to make Canada the 51st state and acquire Greenland, kills men in small boats in Venezuela, arrested the Venezuelan president, and now he has Cuba in his crosshairs. But most maddening is the war he started in Iran, implying that America was under imminent threat. Bull! I submit that the war was to get the Epstein files off the front pages, and it has done that effectively. Nothing more is said about the woman who alleged she was assaulted by Trump when she was a minor. She was interviewed by the FBI several times, but most of that file is reportedly missing.

Pauline Graham Binder

White savior

Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.: Trump’s Washington Arch is to be two times the size of the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Trump freed white South Africans!

John T. O’Connell

Raving & ranting

Hamilton Square, N.J.: I’m amazed that Trump didn’t demand a Pulitzer Prize for his late-night gibberish. It’s where he reveals his true self — a man with a fragile ego and a low IQ.

Eileen Johnson

Attention hog

Kew Gardens: The jubilant spirit of the fans finally seeing the Knicks again in the Finals at Madison Square Garden would be significantly diminished if the president attends with Jaxson Dart at his side. The media onslaught in the following days would be more than one could bear.

Glenn Hayes

Finals, finally

Manhattan: Hooray for the Knicks / Our hometown team / Making us joyful / Making us scream / We waited for this / For 27 long years / Happy tears / And deafening cheers / New York City / Is celebrating in style / Everyone / Is wearing a smile / The whole town is rooting / For our champion Knicks to win / Let the new basketball / Dynasty begin.

Phoebe Celentano

Driven out

Dunnellon, Fla.: Every day, there are news reports of hundreds of people rioting in cities across our country — windows being smashed, merchandise stolen, police vehicles damaged and people being attacked and injured. I can understand the people running those businesses deciding to close, possibly financially broke due to loss of merchandise or damage. I can also understand people living in those cities being afraid and deciding to move away. Finally, regarding police trying to maintain the peace and being attacked instead, why would they try to protect their communities when there’s little or no support from their elected officials?

Floyd Blodgett

Act of war

Lansdowne, Pa.: Some recent comments from longtime Voicers have been especially dismaying. I think it was the 1970s when Dick Gregory and William F. Buckley had a political debate. To prove the U.S. is racist, Gregory cited Japan having two atom bombs dropped on it and none on Germany. Buckley reminded him that Germany surrendered after the firebombing of Dresden. Japan didn’t surrender after the equally atrocious firebombing of Tokyo. The Hiroshima bomb was not yet deliverable when Germany surrendered. Even after Nagasaki, it took the emperor himself to demand surrender.

Georgia Makiver