Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2005
Source: Star-Banner, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Star-Banner
Contact:  http://www.starbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1533
Author: Don Stanton Jr.
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1335.a09.html

METH MENACE NO MYTH

Columnist John Tierney, who wrote "Debunking the 'Meth Epidemic' "
(Aug. 15), needs serious help for his denial issue.

Have him go to any state prison and see how many are imprisoned for
this drug's use, sale and manufacturing. I work at the Marion
Correctional Institution, where an abundance of male inmates' drug of
choice is meth.

As a substance abuse counselor, I have seen the damage done by this
drug as well as others, and yes, addicts, or those who accept they are
out of control in their use are 5 percent. The users are closer to 15
percent and they are raping, robbing and committing other crimes that
affect the rest of us.

I would not want someone high on speed driving, nor do I want a driver
who's falling asleep. We tolerate alcohol because of the taxes it
brings in, because we have a way of determining if a person is under
its influence and because we know of no way to repeal it. But that is
no reason to allow other mood-altering drugs to be added to the fray.

The unknowledgeable clerk knows more than you think. They help locals
stash drugs when police are in the area. Let's not minimize drugs.
When drugs are used as prescribed by certified medical doctors, they
are useful. But we as a society have over-medicated and accepted the
junkies in our neighborhoods.

Let's work to educate, and then eradicate, mood-altering drugs from
our society -- not condone them.

Don Stanton Jr.

Ocala
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin