Pubdate: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 Source: Charlotte Observer (NC) Copyright: 2001 The Charlotte Observer Contact: http://www.charlotte.com/observer/ Author: H. Preston Metheney POLICE OVERREACHING ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS In response to "Why police want prescription drug data" (March 16 For the Record): I find Chief Darrel W. Stephens' case limp, to say the least. The bottom line is this: Police want the power to inspect at will - without a search warrant - any and all prescription drug records of any citizen in North Carolina. It doesn't matter how the chief spins it, the result is the loss of prescription privacy for all North Carolinians. Chief Stephens benignly argues that his people "don't have time to go on `fishing expeditions'" and that in the "overwhelming majority" of cases they request information on only controlled substances. This revelation doesn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy. Politicians are so afraid to appear soft on drugs that they will support almost any drug law regardless of how it affects our privacy or individual liberties. If you open up the possibility for abuse, there will be abuse. It's plain and simple. H. PRESTON METHENEY Charlotte - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom