KINGSPORT - Police Chief Gale Osborne said on Tuesday the "wheels of justice" are moving toward addressing the synthetic drug situation in the Model City, noting that the department has been in contact with the city of Knoxville, which shut down four "head shops" last week.

In response to the growing number of people using synthetic drugs, such as synthetic marijuana and so-called bath salts, Kingsport approved a citywide ban on the products Dec. 6 with the penalty for the sale and possession of such products being a $50 civil penalty.

[continues 282 words]

I'm writing about a thoughtful Dec. 24 letter titled "State senators should be tested." I suggest that in addition to drug testing all politicians, you should make all politicians subject to full body searches, including their body cavities.

That's what they do at all jails and prisons. And we all know how completely drug-free all jails and prisons are. Obviously, only drug users and sellers will object.

Kirk Muse, Mesa, Ariz.

[end]

According to the News Sentinel, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, speaker of the state Senate, advocates drug testing for people who essentially receive government money, and state Sen. Stacey Campfield of Knoxville is said to agree with this and to push for such legislation.

One assumes this means that Tennessee legislators who receive compensation from the state will also be included, as well as all state employees.

One also can't help wondering if drug-testing companies may not also be supporting this idea.

I am sure the state senators in favor of instituting this intrusive and costly testing would want to participate in it as recipients of compensation from the state.

Virginia M. Jones

Oak Ridge

[end]

Proponents of marijuana legalization often argue it will do everything from fixing our economy to ending violent crime ("Marijuana legalization bill offers safer alternative," Tennessee Voices, Aug. 15). Yet, the science is clear: Marijuana use is not a benign drug and it is harmful to public health and safety.

Decades of scientific study, including research from the prestigious National Institutes of Health, show marijuana use is associated with addiction, treatment admissions among young people, fatal drugged driving accidents, and visits to emergency rooms. Data also reveal that marijuana potency has almost tripled in the past 20 years. This is especially troubling for use among teens because the earlier a person begins to use drugs, the more likely they are to develop a more serious abuse and addiction problem later in life.

[continues 355 words]

A new Tennessee law is strengthening state and local law enforcement's efforts to combat dangerous new synthetic drugs marketed under harmless-sounding names such as "bath salts" and "plant food."

My office has joined forces with the District Attorneys of Tennessee to spread the word that these substances sold as a legal way to get high are both illegal and extremely harmful. Legitimate businesses should remove them from their shelves. Individuals need to stop using them.

In the ever-changing war on drugs across the country and in Tennessee, authorities have discovered that these synthetic drugs are growing in popularity and are being sold broadly from music festivals to local convenience stores. The products are labeled "not for human consumption" but have been widely promoted on the Internet and in chat rooms as alternatives to ecstasy, cocaine, or other controlled substances. The Internet-based ads target young people with flashy symbols in bright colors on their tie-dyed packages. These recreational drugs have caused severe physical and psychological side effects in a number of cases.

[continues 379 words]

Four decades ago, I was a drug warrior. I was recruited in 1972 to administer the think-tank portion of the Drug Abuse Council.

Addictive drug use (heroin and cocaine) was on the rise. "Recreational" use of marijuana, hashish and other substances were increasing. An alarmed public looked at drug abuse as the leading cause of property crime.

Youth values and attitudes were considered to be running amok - like protests and resistance to Richard Nixon's conduct of the Vietnam war. He had run for president appealing to the "silent majority" who wanted government to get tough on crime and pot-smokers.

[continues 474 words]

'Boro-Made 'Incense' Likely to Be Labeled As Synthetic Drug

MURFREESBORO -- A "powerful" designer drug that mimics the effects of marijuana when smoked is being manufactured, packaged and sold right here in Murfreesboro, and it's "100 percent legal" -- for now.

Vampire Blood is marketed as an incense but is being smoked by buyers looking for a high, according to local police and emergency officials. At least two individuals required emergency care in recent weeks after experiencing ill effects from smoking the product.

[continues 2045 words]

Oh, the perils of this dark and twisted age! I thought the baby boomers were the lost generation, but their children's generation is the worst yet. They're not only into drugs, they concoct and peddle them, giggling all the while to equally enlightened Generation X'ers. That's tragic, of course, but it's not Gen-X's fault. It's my fault.

It is. I helped elect the people who came up with the War on Drugs and who now spend tons of taxpayer money trying to stop illegal drugs from entering the country. I have to ask myself, and now you, why?

[continues 222 words]

After back-and-forth heated debates for the last two months on how to curb the production of meth in Tennessee, a proposal is one step closer to a state House vote.

A bill that would require all pharmacies in Tennessee to log the sales of products containing pseudoephedrine into an electronic database passed out of the House Human Resources Subcommittee Tuesday morning.

"I'm hopeful this is going to work," said Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, who sponsored the bill.

[continues 492 words]