Pubdate: Fri, 02 Sep 2005
Source: Lindsay This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 Lindsay This Week
Contact:  http://www.lindsaythisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2213
Author: Ken Gorham

TAKE IT FROM ME, METH SHOULDN'T BE LEGALIZED

To the editor:

In regards to Russell Barth's "Cracking down on meth won't work"
(KLTW, Aug 23).

Russell your philosophy that says, if something is bad just legalize
it, is not new. Methamphetamine was my drug of choice for more than
three years and I know first hand its destructive nature. I believe it
to be the most highly addictive drug on the market today (prescription
or illicit). The initial rush you receive when you first experiment
with meth brings you back time and time again, trying to recreate that
initial feeling, but it never happens.

When using meth, addicts eat very little if at all. I personally
experienced a 25-per-cent weight loss. You go without sleep for days
and even weeks.

The addict also becomes paranoid about everyone and everything while
feeling the need of carrying a knife or gun for protection. Combine no
sleep while being in a desperate need for your next fix, paranoid and
armed to the teeth.

Golly gee, guess what comes next? One of the Toronto papers carried an
article on meth complete with before and after pictures of users. The
old adage "a picture can say a thousand words" came ringing back to
me. The aging process accelerates and your physical appearance
deteriorates because of the highly toxic ingredients that make up this
deadly drug. Babies born to expectant mothers using meth can be born
premature or with severe neurological problems. I sure wouldn't want
to be the person giving out those drugs to that expectant mother
knowing what is taking place within her womb. There are no easy
answers. Denial doesn't deal with any problem! Ignoring something will
not make it go away!

Russell Barth's opinion is to legalize meth to eliminate the dealers
and organized crime, but that's only part of the problem. I do applaud
our federal government for changing the status of Crystal
Methamphetamine from a Class 3 narcotic to a Class 1 narcotic, putting
it in the same category as heroin and cocaine. This came about due to
the pressure put upon them by lobbyists from our western provinces,
which have been inundated with meth for some time. My hope and prayer
is that our court system will not poo poo the seriousness of meth. The
police are willing to lay the charges. It is up to the courts to serve
up sentences to the manufacturers and dealers of meth that will send a
message to others that the cost of producing and distributing meth is
too high and it's time for them to get into another business. No
Russell I cannot agree to giving a drug that has the equivalent
ingredients of camp stove fluid, drain cleaner, car starter fluid and
battery acid to any human being.

Ken Gorham

City of Kawartha Lakes
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