Pubdate: Thu, 24 Mar 2005
Source: Columbian, The (WA)
Copyright: 2005 The Columbian Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.columbian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92
Author: Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n354.a02.html

STILL LESSON TO BE LEARNED

Regarding Rosie Brinsek's thoughtful March 3 letter, "Clinic is
prevention," I have a simple solution that would eliminate 99 percent
of the illegal methamphetamine labs. The solution is Desoxyn, the
pharmaceutical form of methamphetamine legally available in local
pharmacies for less than $2 per dose with a doctor's prescription.
Start selling it at local pharmacies without a prescription with no
questions asked to any adult just like we do with tobacco products.

Would we still have people addicted to methamphetamine? Yes. Would
methamphetamine addicts need to rob or commit acts of prostitution to
obtain money to buy their methamphetamine? No. Would the
methamphetamine addicts prefer to purchase pure pharmaceutical grade
of methamphetamine instead of methamphetamine manufactured with
batteries and fertilizer? Yes.

When they relegalized alcohol in 1933, it was not because they decided
that alcohol was not so harmful after all, but rather because of the
crime and corruption that alcohol prohibition caused. When they
re-legalized alcohol in 1933, the illegal bathtub gin producers went
out of business overnight for economic reasons and they have stayed
out of the business for economic reasons. When they relegalized
alcohol 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: Larry Seguin