Forum writer Jackie Smith is back, as self-assured as ever about how to treat addiction (“An Alternative for Alcoholism,” Dec. 2). Mind you, I am for anything that lifts the agonizing curse of addiction, but to make such extreme claims as she does for drug treatment on the basis of 15 years of this drug’s existence — well, it fits with our burgeoning something-wrong?-take-a-pill approach to life’s challenges.
Who knows? Perhaps this pill will prove as effective as she claims. Unlike the 12-step approach that she derides, however, it will offer little counsel about living a caring life as a member of family and society. My own 12-step fellowship has been around for a far longer time than the Sinclair Method, and every week, therefore, I meet people with far longer records of sobriety than can yet be claimed for the Sinclair approach.
To be sure, our program fails as often as it succeeds, though I wonder how even the World Health Organization comes up with its 10 to 15 success rate: ours being an anonymous fellowship, I highly doubt that a large enough group of participants would assent to be part of a study group as to make the study cogent.
Whatever works, I applaud. I suggest only that readers not, on the basis of the nurse’s letter, turn their backs on the 12-step approach, which has saved millions of lives. (I happen to know that from the inside.)
Sydney Lea Newbury, Vt.
We are extremely fortunate that the Upper Valley has many people and organizations who work together to make our communities healthier and better places. With help from many parts of the community, the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, the largest and broadest coalition of people and organizations that address health issues in our region, hosted four community-based free flu vaccine clinics this fall. Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 27, these clinics provided flu vaccine to 836 adults from across our region, and exemplify the great things we can accomplish when we work together.
On behalf of the Public Health Council’s board of directors, we want to thank all those who made our flu clinics possible, especially Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, which donated the vaccine and supplies for the clinics, and the medical students at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, who volunteered their time to administer the shots. We also want to thank the volunteers from Plainfield’s Caring Neighbors and the communities where the clinics were held.
Finally, we want to express our gratitude to Dr. Bill Boyle, who has championed these flu clinics for the past six years. His hard work to pull all the partners together, including colleagues like Drs. David Beaufait, Peter Mason and Joe O’Donnell, who provided medical oversight at the clinics, is a testament to the huge benefits of collaboration.
The Public Health Council is a dynamic organization with the flexibility to forge solutions that respond to the needs of its grassroot members. To learn more, visit us at uvpublichealth.org.
Julia Griffin, Chair, Public Health Council Board Alice Ely, Executive Director Lebanon
What a terrible injustice you have caused to the many fine men and women who have served and do serve in our National Guards as a result of your headline on page B1 of the Thursday edition (“National Guardsman Charged With Sex Assault of Underage Girl,” Dec. 8). What possible purpose is served by noting that the accused serves in the Guard or that he is friends with another member of the Guard. How did that tidbit advance the story?
Other than a statement in the officer’s affidavit, there is no other apparent connection between the alleged assault and the fact that the accused is a member of the Vermont National Guard. Help us understand your motivation for such an inflammatory headline.
Frank Dolan Norwich
Unworthy of Publication
In the Dec. 8 edition of your fine newspaper, the lead article in Section B: Local & Regional, was entitled: “National Guardsman Charged with Sex Assault of Underage Girl.” Other than perhaps to sell more newspapers, I can’t understand why you published it.
It is full of hearsay, contradictory “evidence” and sounds more like social-media gossip than an informative news article. Why did you highlight the fact that the accused was a National Guardsman?
The fact that you identified the male involved, and provided personal information about the unidentified young woman, seems premature.
I was surprised and disappointed that the Valley News chose to publish this article.
David Berlew Hanover