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Step Away from the Cold Medicine - Government's drug war fuels meth problem
Fox News via Reason ^ | December 21, 2006 | Radley Balko

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: libertarianism; methamphetamine; prohibition; radleybalko; reason; wod
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To: Oztrich Boy
You don't read too well, do you boy? The clerks were recent Indian immigrants and didn't know American drug lingo, so they couldn't have "knowingly violated the law."

...except perhaps in the minds of big-gov't ass-kissing JBTs.

61 posted on 12/23/2006 3:30:09 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: raybbr

>>What did you do to celebrate?

I played "Pin the Tooth on the Meth Addict."


62 posted on 12/23/2006 3:38:05 PM PST by fleagle
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To: fleagle
I played "Pin the Tooth on the Meth Addict."

That's a good one. LOL

63 posted on 12/23/2006 3:42:08 PM PST by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: oneolcop

Why should law-abiding citizens be inconvenienced because of the activities of a bunch of criminals?

Look, I'm a major supporter of law enforcement (I come from 3 generations of NYPD) but I'm sick and bloody tired of laws being passed that don't do a damned thing about real criminals and just make life for every day law abiding folks more difficult.


64 posted on 12/23/2006 3:43:33 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
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To: nothingnew
I drank a bottle of Nyquil. How a bout you?

Ha! I missed the day. But, I am planning for next year. I can't wait to read next year's proclamation.

65 posted on 12/23/2006 3:45:06 PM PST by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: Phil Southern

Vicks is a pretty good decongestant. Grape seed extract and apples have chemicals that block histamines. Then there is always good old hot chicken soup.


66 posted on 12/23/2006 3:52:40 PM PST by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
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To: Mr. Mojo
Me understand good.

You need irony detector adjusted

67 posted on 12/23/2006 3:58:22 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (Your point being?)
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To: Gabz
Look, I'm a major supporter of law enforcement (I come from 3 generations of NYPD) but I'm sick and bloody tired of laws being passed that don't do a damned thing about real criminals and just make life for every day law abiding folks more difficult.

Especially since most of the meth now being sold seems to be coming into the country from Mexico.

68 posted on 12/23/2006 4:10:52 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: Gabz
Meth 'superlabs' move to Mexico
69 posted on 12/23/2006 4:12:00 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: mewzilla

You won't get an argument from me on that.


70 posted on 12/23/2006 4:16:25 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
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To: Gabz
I'd be happy to do my bit, queuing for a two dollar box of pseudoephedrine and giving my ID and signature, if I thought the freaking Feds were holding up their end at the bloody border.
71 posted on 12/23/2006 4:19:15 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: raybbr
Ha! I missed the day. But, I am planning for next year. I can't wait to read next year's proclamation.

I'm betting on February 13---Kiss a Queer Because You Can't Catch AIDS From Spit Day.

Then again, I have all year to think about it.....

FMCDH(BITS)

72 posted on 12/23/2006 4:24:58 PM PST by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: Gabz
"Like I said, these laws are assinine."

They're working. Local meth labs are a fraction of the number they were before.

73 posted on 12/23/2006 4:28:10 PM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: mewzilla

Good point.


74 posted on 12/23/2006 4:30:58 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
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To: Mr. Mojo
"GOOD MORNING, WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ."

"Press "1" if you speak American drug lingo."
"Press "2" to disconnect until you can."

75 posted on 12/23/2006 4:33:16 PM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen

Maybe, maybe not.

I'm sick and bloody tired of 'feel good' laws that do more harm to law abiding citizens than anything.


76 posted on 12/23/2006 4:34:56 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
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To: robertpaulsen
They're working. Local meth labs are a fraction of the number they were before.

You say that the number of local meth labs has declined. Does that mean that the supply of meth has also declined? Or have foreign labs made up the difference, as some claim?

77 posted on 12/23/2006 4:34:57 PM PST by Logophile
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To: neverdem
Last month, President Bush declared Nov. 30 "National Methamphetamine Awareness Day."

(sigh)

78 posted on 12/23/2006 4:37:11 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all.)
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To: MichiganConservative

I agree with you This is just more government idiocy. I'm sitting here with a cold right now wondering where I can get some cold medicine that works. Just prosecute the ones who are caught running the meth labs and make on-demand random drug tests a requirement for any public assistance, cutting benefits for those caught using, and the problem would be solved.


79 posted on 12/23/2006 4:40:05 PM PST by RochesterFan
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To: pandoraou812

I will go to Home Depot tomorrow and buy razor blades and spray paint. I will give the results of my shopping trip on this thread. Yes, I will take bond money with me. LOL


80 posted on 12/23/2006 4:41:39 PM PST by healy61
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