Pubdate: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 Source: Journal Standard, The (Freeport, IL) Copyright: 2006 The Journal Standard Contact: http://www.journalstandard.com/forms/letters/ Website: http://www.journalstandard.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3182 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) ADDICTION'S TRUE COLORS The Issue: Drug Addiction Locally Our View: Recent Stories Reveal The True Nature Of The Problem News of the discovery this week of the first known methamphetamine lab in Freeport came as a shock to many, especially given its location on West Logan Street, in a quiet residential neighborhood. Police, though, knew the meth scourge was coming, and by all accounts, they acted quickly and decisively when it finally arrived. For months, they've also been hosting educational meetings for school kids, the community and anyone else who would listen. Their prescience on this matter reflects well on local law enforcement's ability to stay ahead of the public-safety curve. But while news of this week's meth bust was shocking for what it was, it may have been equally surprising to some for what it was not; and who was not responsible - namely the fact that at least two, white, clean-cut-looking people stand accused of being at least partially responsible for trying to manufacture meth out of a house that looked just like every other house on a predominately white side of town. Meth, you see, is a largely white phenomenon, though not exclusively so. Another story in Saturday's edition by reporter Travis Morse strikes a related chord - namely the unjust disparity between sentences meted out for tiny amounts of crack cocaine, preferred by predominately black addicts and dealers; and powder cocaine, which is usually the drug of choice for white folks with money to burn, or at least money they are willing to burn on addictions. And on today's front page, a story by reporter Diana Roemer informs us that prescription painkiller abuse is far and away the most pervasive drug problem in our community, and those addicted to pills are young and old alike - black and white, too - from all social groups and educational levels. The more we know about drug problems here and elsewhere, the more we realize addiction does not discriminate. We are all at risk, and we should all work to ensure our children don't become victims of addiction's seductive but ultimately destructive and painful allure. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman