Clear case has been made to regulate ‘gas station heroin’ (The Republican Editorials)

The following editorial is from the opinion page of The Republican newspaper in Springfield. It reflects views of the newspaper’s leadership and not necessarily those of MassLive. Readers are invited to share their opinions by emailing to letters@repub.com .

We really need to listen to the moms. When tragedy strikes children in a family, it is usually the mothers who look for ways to redeem what’s gone wrong. The most inspirational moms find ways to make theirs a giving grief.

That’s why at least two mothers in Massachusetts stepped up when questions arose about the safety of powerful but largely unregulated substances that can be bought in gas stations and convenience stores.

Thanks to their advocacy, and support from state lawmakers, the Massachusetts Legislature is considering