I am opposed to the physician assisted suicide bill and urge the state Senate to defeat it.

Yes, my reasons are personal, as I lost my mother to Alzheimer’s some years ago but treasure every minute that we had together. I would not ever consider ending her life.

However, this bill could open a door to what lawmakers in Delaware are even now trying to pass. They want to let a licensed clinical social worker have the power to pass judgment on whether an intellectually disabled man or woman should be aided in dying.

Upon a written letter to the attending physician, they could confirm that the individual understands the law and wishes to end their own life with help. It doesn’t even require approval of a guardian, whose approval is needed for corrective surgery or treatment.

Please defeat this bill so as not to let future generations be killed. God bless our country and give our legislators guidance for the good of it.

Rosalie Tadda

Mililani

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Smoking ban kills individual rights

No smoking at University of Hawaii campuses (“Kicking the habit out of UH,” Star-Advertiser, March 22): Have our legislators all lost their collective minds?

Hawaii already limits smoking inside buildings. Now what was once the freedom to smoke outside is being taken away. Do any of our legislators understand the laws of physics, specifically diffusion?

What has happened to individual rights? What has happened to an individual’s right to choose and make his or her own decisions? Why are the thoughts and desires of a few legislators dictating what is best for each and every one of us?

I guess they are basically saying: I know best what is good for you.

At what point do individual rights totally vanish from our lives?

Blaine Tsugawa

Waipahu

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Van cams succeeded in slowing traffic

When I saw state Rep. Joe Souki’s photo on the front page, I thought he was being recognized for van cams (“Souki to resign,” Star-Advertiser, March 21).

During the last week there have been numerous articles in your paper about pedestrian fatalities, motorcycle accidents and various car crashes. During the brief period the van cams were activated, I observed that drivers were more respectful of the posted speed-limit signs.

Although no one likes “Big Brother” watching, the cameras were a success, and I had hoped red light cameras would be next, since this is a very serious problem on Kalanianaole Highway.

I’m optimistic that Apple will develop an app so that all of us can use our smart phones with a burst setting to photograph offenders, forward it to the city’s Honolulu 311 app, and perhaps split the fines 50/50.

Thanks to state Rep. Joe Souki.

Kevin Mulkern

Kuliouou

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Michigan makes recycling easier

In the current discussion of raising the bottle and can recycling deposit fee to 10 cents, Michigan is cited for having a 10-cent bottle fee and the highest redemption rate in the nation of 93 percent (“Redemptions rise with 10-cent fee,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 21).

There is another reason why Michigan has such a high rate. Michigan instituted bottle recycling in the 1960s and did it right. They started with a 10-cent redemption fee, but made recycling much easier with no additional recycling charge.

How did they do it? Recycling is done by the stores that sell the beverage in the first place. One just drops off the bottles in the store where one shops. No third-party recycling company for the recycler to deal with; no extra recycling fee; no hunting for a recycling center and standing out in the hot sun. Easy.

Why can’t Hawaii do things this way?

Fred Harris

Kailua

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Include wine bottles in deposit program

Why isn’t there a deposit on wine bottles? I think about this every time I’m tossing our wine bottles into the blue recycling bin, but I was told they all go into the landfill and are not recycled.

Carolyn Hong

Waialae Iki

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City needs more bicycle racks

I used to attend neighborhood board meetings and I would usually ask for more bike racks. I even went so far as to ask for a requirement that all new buildings provide a place to lock up your bike. Well, it didn’t happen, so I don’t go to those meetings, figuring this city will just do what it wants anyway.

But now there are bike lanes and Biki bikes. That should help somewhat but I’m going to ask again for more bike racks, especially at Fort Street Mall. There is only one bike rack in front of Walmart and it is always taken up with mo-peds. Maybe next time I’ll just risk a ticket and lock my bike to the Biki rack.

And yes, I am a bike rider who rides on the sidewalk to avert death. I always let pedestrians know I am coming up behind them.

Daci L. Armstrong

Kakaako

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Pave Pali Highway with concrete

Work on repaving the Pali Highway has begun.

I noticed that the right lane, from Waokanaka Kailua-bound, is done in concrete. This lane will never need to be repaved. Why not concrete the whole road?

There are no plans to widen the tunnels to three lanes, so this would be a long-term improvement that would be permanent and save taxpayers a lot of money in the long run. We also would not have the agony of repaving every five to 10 years.

No one has ever explained why the city doesn’t do this. It can’t be materials or cost if they have the money to build the rail.

Whiting Hyland

Kailua