Pubdate: Mon, 11 Apr 2005
Source: Sidelines, The (TN Edu)
Section: Opinion, Column "Half Naked"
Copyright: 2005 Middle Tennessee State University
Contact:  http://www.mtsusidelines.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2861
Author: Wendy Caldwell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

USERS OF SUDAFED SHOULDN'T SUFFER BECAUSE OF METH

Tennessee has really gone overboard this time: You can no longer buy 
Sudafed at a store that doesn't have a pharmacy. It's all part of the 
grand, master plan to get methamphetamines off the streets.

The pseudoephedrine used as an ingredient in Sudafed and other such cold 
pills is also a common ingredient in meth, which is now becoming a more 
rampant problem in Tennessee.

Now, in order to purchase the drug, one must go to a pharmacy and fill out 
a form containing name and address, in addition to signing for the drug. 
One must also show identification before receiving the drug, and it 
certainly can't be bought in bulk to prevent future sniffles.

After all, they don't know you. Maybe you're running a small meth operation 
out of your dorm room.

Signing a name, showing ID and filling out a log make sense when dealing 
with easily-abused controlled substances, such as narcotic painkillers. A 
14-year-old kid with a headache shouldn't be able to get a bottle of 
Percocets three times a year.

But Sudafed? It doesn't even require a prescription. All you have to do is 
go up to the pharmacist and ask for it. Heck - he'll probably ask you if 
you want regular or generic.

This is Tennessee, and allergies run rampant across the state, probably 
more so than meth.

I've never been gung-ho about this War on Drugs, but this is getting 
ridiculous. Making it a pain in the butt to get cold medicine isn't going 
to have that great of an impact on our meth problem.

These people - the pioneers of meth - are willing to cook all kinds of 
stuff that one should never ingest, many times at the risk of violent, yet, 
cool explosion, in order to make an extra buck or two or million.

Then, they're willing to ingest the stuff, or at least pass it off to 
friends and accomplices.

The state legislature seems to think this bill is actually going to have 
some great impact on these meth masters and deter them from making the stuff.

Call me crazy, but don't criminals generally have pretty decent access to 
things like fake IDs. A fake ID could come in really handy when someone 
needs lots of cold medicine. Five fake IDs could come in even handier.

I shouldn't be saying such things. Soon, they'll start fingerprinting for 
Sudafed. And let's not forget that Tennessee borders eight states. If my 
income relied on something as commonplace as Sudafed, I wouldn't be above 
crossing state lines to hit up a few gas stations and Wal-Marts.

The new legislation simply makes obtaining meth ingredients a little more 
involved and a little more inconvenient. It also strips the rest of us of 
just a little more of that freedom we all rant and rave about so much. When 
the government has the power and the audacity to insist you sign your name 
and address before buying cold medicine, things have gone too far.

It was more than disheartening to discover there are a few medical uses for 
meth. I can see how narcolepsy can be a problem, but I think I'd choose 
that over being a crank addict. Everyone has a few days when they feel fat, 
but a dose of crystal isn't much better.

And if that Ritalin doesn't cure your attention deficit disorder, try some 
glass to go with that homework.

Maybe obliterating these few medical uses would help. Maybe not. It 
certainly wouldn't hurt to try that before tracking every person who has a 
runny nose. Instead of targeting everyday Joes and Janes who just want that 
sinus pressure to ease up a bit, find a better way of targeting the actual 
meth users and manufacturers, and let the rest of us sneeze in peace.
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MAP posted-by: Beth