Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 301-303 next last
To: Gabz
"Maybe, maybe not."

From what I've been reading, states are reporting a big drop in the number of local meth labs.

"Through May of this year, the Texas Department of Public Safety had seized 86 meth labs, down from 382 the previous year ..."

"With the reduction of meth labs within the state, North Carolina plans to put resources towards reducing meth trafficking and use."

"U.S. Attorney John Richter in Oklahoma City says the good news is the reduction in the number of makeshift meth labs in Oklahoma."

"The number of methamphetamine drug labs reported in Washington in 2004 decreased for the third year in a row"

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

An inconvenience, sure. But at least Congress didn't take the easy route and just ban pseudoephedrine/ephedrine or make it only available with a prescription.

81 posted on 12/23/2006 4:53:41 PM PST by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Logophile
"Or have foreign labs made up the difference, as some claim?"

Foreign labs have made up the difference. Meth use has been fairly flat over the last few years.

The goal was to reduce/eliminate the local labs. They're dangerous plus they're expensive to clean up.

82 posted on 12/23/2006 5:00:28 PM PST by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
"With the reduction of meth labs within the state, North Carolina plans to put resources towards reducing meth trafficking and use."

Which is what they ALL should have been doing from the get go.

An inconvenience, sure.

Tell that to someone who wakes up at 2am and is out of effective cold medicine and there are no open pharmacies.

But at least Congress didn't take the easy route and just ban pseudoephedrine/ephedrine or make it only available with a prescription.

Apparently at least one state has done so.

Trafficking and use is not down and these stupid laws have put an unneeded restriction on law-abiding citizens. I should NOT be restricted in my lawful purchases just to make some people feel they have done something, however trivial, about criminals.

83 posted on 12/23/2006 5:04:46 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: All

Wouldn't a bounty on meth heads be easier?


84 posted on 12/23/2006 5:07:05 PM PST by uncle fenders
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

The effect that's usually not mentioned is that we're putting the mom and pop meth labs out of business, which means the professional level Mexican meth labs are getting more customers. Where the locals were fairly easy to find and take down, the pros are much smarter... and meaner.

And... of course... we know where some of that cross-border money goes. Somehow, when I'm sitting at home late at night suffering through a sinus headache, I don't find it in the least big consoling to know that my suffering is helping enrich the Mexican government.


85 posted on 12/23/2006 5:08:28 PM PST by ArmstedFragg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: oneolcop
Judging by the snarky comments, a lot of people don't think methamphetamine abuse is a big deal. So, what should the people do, about the crankers buying the ingredients in the grocery store?

If it were up to me, I would repeal the war on some drugs, the DEA and BATF & E too. IMHO, making all this crap illegal just gives more profit to the black market and organized crime, not to mention how this weakens civil liberties. It has been just as effective as alcohol prohibition.

Connecting the War on Guns & Drugs [my title]

The war on guns: Joel Miller explains how drug cops are killing 2nd Amendment

Law Enforcement Against Drug Prohibition

86 posted on 12/23/2006 5:12:38 PM PST by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

bkarmk


87 posted on 12/23/2006 5:16:56 PM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/optimism_nov8th.htm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Still Thinking

I'll second your motion. :)


88 posted on 12/23/2006 5:17:45 PM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/optimism_nov8th.htm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/MethResources/faces/index.html


Check out the "faces of meth", click on the pictures for before and after photos of meth addiction.


89 posted on 12/23/2006 5:18:37 PM PST by word_warrior_bob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gabz
"Tell that to someone who wakes up at 2am and is out of effective cold medicine and there are no open pharmacies."

If it's that important, make sure to buy it when the pharmacy is open. Geez, I can't run your life AND mine.

90 posted on 12/23/2006 5:22:06 PM PST by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen

I don't want YOU running my life - that is my point.

Why the flip should I have to drive 30 miles to get something I could have easily gotten at the corner supermarket? Just to make you feel like you've done something to curb illegal drug use? I don't think so.


91 posted on 12/23/2006 5:26:35 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: upchuck; word_warrior_bob

Thanks for the links. It's a nasty addiction, but I don't think the law enforcement approach is the way to make progress.


92 posted on 12/23/2006 5:28:45 PM PST by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Gabz
"-- I don't want YOU running my life - that is my point. --"


The communitarian's among us will ~never~ 'get' that constitutional point.

To them, majority ~will~ rule..
93 posted on 12/23/2006 5:37:53 PM PST by tpaine (" My most important function on the Supreme Court is to tell the majority to take a walk." -Scalia)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: tpaine
To them, majority ~will~ rule..

I truly despise nanny-statists, or communitarians, as you call them. I like that term, never read it before.

94 posted on 12/23/2006 5:42:21 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: Gabz
Thanks to such idiotic feel-good laws I have to waste a bunch of gas when I need sudafed because the local supermarket doesn't have a pharmacy and the nearest one is 15 miles away. IDIOTS.

You've got that right!

When my husband stopped to get some cold medicine for our son this evening at the local grocery, they were selling it 50-75% off. Why? They decided that selling it was a big hassle and not worth their time.

Smaller mom & pop stores are dumping their supplies and I honestly can't blame them. I *hate* having to scramble to find an open pharmacy, wait for the parade of senior citizens (no offense), then get treated like a criminal just for a decongestant.

95 posted on 12/23/2006 5:47:28 PM PST by Kieri (A Grafted Branch (Rom. 11))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Kieri

Law-abiding citizens should NOT be needlessly inconvenienced for the feel-good ideas of a few do-gooders.

I'm not some "legalize all drugs" type, I just happen to be someone that occassionally gets a head cold, has a child, and a husband who all get them at times, plus we all suffer from various forms of allergies. Mine happen to manifest themselves when the weather shifts drastically and show up in the form of eczema and I'm suffering mightily from it right now....fortunatly for me I can still get benedryl without a hassle.

I don't blame the stores for discontinuing the sale of the products, but it just adds to customer inconvenience, and the loss of a product in stores that already probably work on a very small profit margin.

Absolute insanity.


96 posted on 12/23/2006 6:01:10 PM PST by Gabz (If we weren't crazy, we'd just all go insane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: Gabz; tpaine
communitarians, as you call them. I like that term, never read it before.

And I wish conservatives would learn to use it instead of misusing the fine old word "liberal"

97 posted on 12/23/2006 6:25:20 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (South Park Liberal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: Gabz

Remember to get gas tomorrow. The gas stations will be closed for Christmas. I don't want you coming back to the board, crying about the inconvenience of Christian holidays, demanding we end them so you won't have to suffer the consequences of not having your $hit together.


98 posted on 12/23/2006 6:25:51 PM PST by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: truth_seeker

Exactly. Outrage is properly expressed at the legislators that vote in this nonsense. I certainly gave mine an earful.


99 posted on 12/23/2006 6:35:43 PM PST by TheDon (Are you a cut and run conservative?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Gabz

Spot on. The meth will simply be shipped across the southern border along with all of the other "illegal" drugs. I'm sorry, but this type of nonsense is only demonstrating the futility of the approach, and making me think about just legalizing everything.


100 posted on 12/23/2006 6:38:29 PM PST by TheDon (Are you a cut and run conservative?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 301-303 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson