Pubdate: Sun, 16 May 2004 Source: Johnson City Press (TN) Copyright: 2004 Johnson City Press Contact: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n699/a10.html METH'S LESSON EDITOR: I'm writing about the meth danger story in your Sunday edition. During the 1960s I worked for the federal government and several of my co-workers used amphetamines known as "mini-bennies" or "whites." When these products were taken off the market and made illegal, the seeds of today's meth epidemic were planted. Today's meth labs are very similar to the illegal distilleries of the era known as the "Noble Experiment." During our alcohol-prohibition era, thousands died and thousands went blind or were crippled for life from what was then known as "bathtub gin." Like the meth of today, the "bathtub gin" was easily made from household or industrial products. Like the meth of today, the "bathtub gin" was a product created by prohibition. Like the meth of today, illegal alcohol could be manufactured just about anywhere. Like the meth of today, prohibition-era alcohol was of unknown quality, unknown purity and unknown potency. When alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, almost 100 percent of the "bathtub gin" producers went out of business for economic reasons and they have stayed out of the business for economic reasons. When alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, our overall crime rate declined substantially and our murder rate declined for 10 consecutive years. Have we learned any lessons? Not yet. KIRK MUSE Mesa, Ariz - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake