"Hi, my name is David, and I come from a family of addicts. From prescription painkillers to alcohol to crack cocaine to finding needles under mattresses, I've seen firsthand from family members and close friends the damage that addiction can do." Those were the first words I said Saturday afternoon, when I was honored to speak for a few moments during the dedication of Mary's House at Christian Love Ministries in Peachtree. Once a certified counselor is hired, Mary's House will allow the Rev. Denny Smith and his staff to serve more women in a building of their own, increasing the ministry's overall capacity to 53. The need couldn't be greater. As the methamphetamine problem escalates in Cherokee and surrounding counties - and as unemployment, general hopelessness and self-loathing causes more people to turn to the bottle or something worse as an escape from reality - Christian Love plays a vital role in the health and well-being of our community. [continues 411 words]
The drug trade in Cherokee County has suffered blows in recent weeks as law enforcement agencies work together to put a dent in their business. The effort has paid off, but there is still work to be done. Operation Fall Harvest on Oct. 23 brought multiple officers and judicial system officials together in Andrews to arrest and process 16 area residents on various drug charges, most involving possession and trafficking for a total of 76 charges. Sheriff Keith Lovin credits the investigation of a drug ring allegedly headed by Jeffrey McTaggart. Lovin said he didn't know how rampant drugs were in the county until he became sheriff last year. Area residents knew, though. The arrest reports and court dockets printed in The Scout are filled with people charged with drug offenses. Lovin has worked over the past year to improve cooperation among law enforcement agencies, improve training for officers and upgrade or renovate the jail and sheriff's office. [continues 70 words]
Every year Cherokee County students pledge, in one form or another, to abstain from using drugs and alcohol. Murphy High School's Fellowship of Christian Athletes organized the Students Taking A Responsible Step (STARS) program recently to encourage fellow students to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Many students pledged to stay clean. This is admirable, but for all of the students who make the commitment, others continue using controlled substances with the misguided belief that nothing bad can happen to them. All too often The Scout reports about a teen who died while driving drunk, or who was a drunk driver's passenger. Teens feel invincible. They see people their age dying from drug and alcohol use, but don't learn from the example. They have to learn the hard way. A person's inhibitions melt away when they use drugs and alcohol. This can lead to promiscuity, the spread of sexual diseases, pregnancy, date rape, physical assault or worse, death. Teens cannot make the drug- and alcohol-free commitment alone. It takes parents and authority figures to show young people the risks and consequences associated with using drugs and alcohol. Do your part. [end]
Bravo to Tina Hughes for her outstanding column: "IF YOU CAN'T BEAT IT, LEGALIZE IT" (7-31-02). It seems to me that adult citizens of what is claimed to be a free country, should be able to smoke, snort, inject or swallow any substance they feel like. And be personally responsible for the consequences. Kirk Muse [end]
Bravo to Tina Hughes for her outstanding column: "IF YOU CAN'T BEAT IT, LEGALIZE IT" (7-31-02). It seems to me that adult citizens of what is claimed to be a free country, should be able to smoke, snort, inject or swallow any substance they feel like. And be personally responsible for the consequences. Kirk Muse Mesa, AZ [end]
I had such an overwhelming response from readers about my column on the legality of drugs that I felt compelled to clear up a few things. I asked the question: Why are drugs illegal? I looked up the history of the drug laws and reported some of what I found. The laws related to drug use are lengthy. I could have filled a book with what I learned. Readers said that if I had researched further I would have learned so and so, or I should have done so and so. [continues 578 words]
I learned last week that using marijuana in Great Britain is no longer the crime that it used to be. The ruling allows law enforcement to concentrate their efforts on catching hardcore drug traffickers. But why are drugs illegal anyway? It may seem like an elementary question -- until you try and answer it. My first thought is to say, because it's against the law. But that doesn't answer it. Why is drug use against the law? If someone wants to fry his/her brain on cocaine, what's it to me? Should I care that another heroine addict just overdosed? [continues 583 words]
