Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR) Copyright: 2005 The Oregonian Contact: http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324 Author: Michael T. Bailey Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) LEGISLATORS GRANDSTAND ON METH The Legislature's dramatic rush to require prescriptions for cold remedies is being portrayed as a bold step to end methamphetamine use. Memo to legislators: Everyone hates meth. Courage in politics is taking on an unpopular cause. What you are doing is last-minute pandering to cover the fundamental failures of this session. Overlooked are the nearly 100,000 Oregonians who have, in the past few years, lost their Oregon Health Plan coverage because of the Legislature's astonishing inability to grapple with a real, controversial issue. To add insult to injury, these powerless people will now be denied the ability to purchase a simple cold remedy because they have no access to a physician to write the prescription. This gesture has little to do with drug abuse and everything to do with grandstanding. MICHAEL T. BAILEY Northeast Portland - --- MAP posted-by: Beth