Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2005
Source: Augusta Chronicle, The (GA)
Copyright: 2005 The Augusta Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.augustachronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/31
Note: Does not publishing letters from outside of the immediate Georgia and 
South Carolina circulation area
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT

Some people still believe there's such a thing as a "victimless crime." 
They put such things as prostitution and private drug use in that category.

But there is no such thing as a victimless crime. Every crime degrades 
society, costs society money in some form and hurts someone directly or 
indirectly.

And as much as the permissive left would like to believe otherwise, there 
is no criminal statute enacted that penalizes behavior simply for being 
someone's idea of immoral. Sure, there are moralistic roots in our judicial 
system, including the foundation of the Ten Commandments. So what? It 
remains that a crime is a crime because the proscribed behavior is bad for 
society. Period.

Moreover, when unscrupulous people abuse their freedom, they risk eroding 
everyone else's freedom.

Case in point:

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Tuesday signed legislation making it more 
difficult to buy Sudafed and other cold and sinus medicines with 
"pseudoephedrine." Why? Because too many people were buying such 
medications in bulk and using them to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

Methamphetamines are highly addictive stimulants, and are perhaps the 
country's fastest-growing drug problem.

Again, use of methamphetamines is far from a victimless crime. It costs 
businesses in loss productivity, it ravages lives and families and leads to 
other forms of crime.

In addition, the making of methamphetamines is dangerous business; meth 
labs are toxic and explosive. Entire neighborhoods can feel the effects of 
these toxic dumps.

Far from victimless.

And now, because of these people's hunger for the over-the-counter raw 
materials, you and your fellow Georgians will be inconvenienced by having 
to ask for such cold medications from behind store counters - as if they 
were prescription medications.

Indeed, some argue the Georgia law doesn't make it difficult enough to get 
such medications: There will continue to be pressure at the Statehouse in 
subsequent legislative sessions to require pharmacists to dispense such 
medications - and only after the customer has produced a photo I.D. and 
signed a log.

In other words, methamphetamine users will someday soon inspire the 
government to track your use of cold medications!

Victimless?

Hardly. 
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MAP posted-by: Beth