New Hampshire plans to charge drug dealers with murder when someone dies from an overdose or contamination.

This won't deter anyone from selling drugs, and won't avoid overdoses. It is just a way to look tough.

Dangerous drugs are used all around the world. Perhaps the laws and medical systems of some other countries make overdoses less likely, or less likely to be fatal.

Giving addicts a legal way to get a fix, with assured strength and no toxic additives, could really prevent these problems from happening. A better medical system might avoid deaths in some cases. Deaths from guns, cars and drugs are significant causes of death for US males, reducing life expectancy by a whole year, compared with some other countries.