Posted on 12/23/2006 1:37:38 PM PST by neverdem
Last month, President Bush declared Nov. 30 "National Methamphetamine Awareness Day."
The official statement from the White House implored, "I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities."
There's no question that meth is a particularly nasty, vicious drug, both in how it's manufactured and in what it does to the people who use it. I think some skeptics have raised legitimate questions about the accuracy of some of the more hysterical media proclaiming we're in the midst of an "epidemic," but there's no question that the drug is widely available, and that it has some pretty terrible effects on users.
That said, the approaches the government is taking toward attacking meth don't make much sense.
As is often the case with policies aimed at curbing the drug supply, civil liberties were one of the first casualties of the meth hysteria. Several cities and states, for example, quickly made it illegal for businesses to sell customers combinations of ingredients that together, are used to make meth, but that are perfectly legal if bought separately.
Sell bhutane, cold medicine, and matches to the same customer, and an unknowing store clerk could well be arrested. These laws effectively deputized private business to begin policing the shopping habits of their customers – never a good idea.
The idea has led to some horrific outcomes.
In Northwest Georgia, for example, a meth sting ended with the arrest of 49 convenience store clerks for violating the odd new law. The problem is that 47 of the clerks were of Indian decent, and spoke only broken English. When undercover police officers tossed out drug lingo like "cooking up a hit," the clerks had no idea what they were talking about.
More troubling,...
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
Just don't call the manager any names . I think you need to give your drivers lic or something. In the Lakewood NJ home Depot thats what they do.
Thanks for the info........that indeed needs more looking into, but not at this time of night after a very busy day, and a few adult beverages :)
Not only do I not WANT you running my life, I have no NEED of your interference.
But for your information there will be plenty of gas stations open on Monday, I should know, I worked part time in one some years ago and worked on Christmas Day. The world does not stop because of a holiday, Christian or otherwise. Many people will be working on Monday and we should all say an extra prayer for them especially if, God forbid, you or someone you love just happens to need the services they provide.
So you can take your assinine claim that I am demanding an end to Christian holidays and stick it where the sun doesn't shine and kindly do the same with your assinine feel good laws that do little more than harass law-abiding citizens.
Oh, BTW, Merry Christmas and may the reason for the season shine some light in your life.
Unfortunately, it is having a similar effect upon me.
I'm basically a law and order type of gal, but enough is enough already. When is it going to end?
When the politicians/state think(s) you're no longer a danger to yourself or others, of course.
Why don't you just buy it online? It's no different from buying tobacco or prescriptions online. You just have to fax your ID the first time. The feds allow you to buy 7.5 grams per month (that's equal to the maximum recommended dosage x 31days). Your state limit may be lower, so check that first. Try drugstore.com.
So now it's a store's job to tell me what LEGAL products I can and can't buy together.
F-ing ridiculous.
What if I, someone who is not using and will never use meth actually NEEDS cold medicine, antifreeze, and kitty litter at the same time? It's conceivable! I have a nose, a car and two cats!
What I am still unclear on, and this may be because I'm not nuanced enough, is how selling legal products, all sold legally in the same store, and produced and shipped legally to said store, is illegal if sold in the WRONG COMBINATION!!!
Gah!
I need more duct tape to keep my head from exploding. I should be able to walk into any store and buy any of their legal products in any amount and combination I want.
Oh, and meth cookers should be shot on sight, just in case anyone thinks I'm ok with meth use.
If you want to be politically correct, you need to throw in Eid and Kwanzaa.
Reducing the number of local labs will increase the costs of the drugs, thus meaning more folks will have to get mugged to pay for the habits. Cheap, local drugs would reduce violent crime (As long as no one blows up a meth lab in the house next door.)
"These meth laws are all for your own good and for the children. Meth could happen to anybody at any time. You could be walking down the street and blam-o, suddenly you're a meth addict with no teeth. Do you really want this to happen to your kids? Without the laws, it would all be because the government just didn't care enough."
And in other news, marijuana just passed corn to become America's number 1 cash crop at $37 billion a year. If not for Federal intervention and the success of the WOD, there would be tons of marijuana on the streets.
"That is absurd.If they want to find the meth labs let them do real law enforcement work."
Work; I think that's the problem. It's so much easier and more profitable to hit the law abiding. They'll usually have more property and are more compliant. Just keep passing laws until they're technically criminals.
Republicans, democrats... I'm fed up with all of them. Why is it they are unable to learn from history; i.e. prohibition?
I appreciate the information, but again the point is law abiding citizens now have to change their purchasing habits because of criminals.
I know exactly what you mean, however as you can see from some ofthe remarks on this thread there are plenty who have no just problem.
A few left.
Please keep your address hidden, there are those who would kill for that drug.
Aren't they supposed to answer customer service calls when the cupholder on my PC won't close?
I think this will incur a one hundred twenty million study by a blue ribbon panel, of course at tax payer expense.
So many unanswered questions as to why people are using the drug, duh!!!duh!!!
post # 4 a good one!:-)
BFLR
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