Pubdate: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 Source: Williams Lake Tribune, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Williams Lake Tribune Contact: http://www.wltribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1226 Author: Chris Buors Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) CRYSTAL METH MYTH? Editor: Gaeil Farrar does a good job of passing along state propaganda in the "It's 'pure poison' article ("Crystal meth: The Challenge for the community," Tribune, September 29). Gaeil ought to give some thought as to the notion of the police as "educators." Is there not a pharmacologist in Williams Lake? To put the matter into perspective, "poison in the hands of a wise man is medicine. Medicine in the hands of a fool is poison," said Casanova. "Dangerous drug" is a political designation. In fact, what is and is not a food or a drug is politically decided. Science and the periodic table evidence are ignored. In short, The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is a political demonization scale that has nothing to do with medicine or science and everything to do with scapegoating self-medicating. The results are Canadians have more control over cat food than we do substances. Gaeil ought to consult an anthropologist to ask about the "whys" of ceremonial and ritual substance use if educating the public had anything to do with journalism. Because demonizations that were passed off as journalism with anecdote and no scientific evidence serves our political masters but it cheat the people. First off, kids know that the newspapers are full of lies. I knew they lied about cannabis 40 years ago and kept the lies up for 40 years. Kids today use an invention called the internet to get a truthful account of drug use from their peers around the world. Those were the same people I trusted back then too. There is nothing new about crystal meth other than the demonizations. Methamphetamine hydrochloride is sold as Desoxyn to children for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and to adults for obesity at the pharmacy. The kids can read one dissenting opinion on the internet and all your demonizations will be for naught. You sure will scare the hell out of parents but lies will not deter children. Have you never read the Parable of The Fall? The forbidden fruit always tastes sweeter. The lesson to authority in the parable is not to lie to children, their innocence allows them to see through the lie. It is the serpent who tells the truth in the parable. Think about all that even if it blows your mind! The truth shall set you free. It won't win you any friends down at the police department, but your readers will appreciate it. Chris Buors, President, Manitoba Marijuana Party, Winnipeg Manitoba - --- MAP posted-by: Derek