Pubdate: Fri, 04 Feb 2011 Source: Macon Telegraph (GA) Copyright: 2011 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company Contact: http://www.macontelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667 Author: Todd Lyon BANNING DOES NOT WORK I caught your article on the abuse of "bath salts" becoming a problem. They talk about banning the salts, which is a start, but not a finish. I'm going to get to the point. The problem with banning drugs is that it's never going to stop the use of drugs. These companies realize this fact and manufacture these synthetic substances, which mimic the high of certain drugs and also keeps them out of jail. The problem becomes this: these legal drugs are far more dangerous than the real thing. Yes, cocaine is a harmful and addicting drug, but last time I checked, you don't hallucinate and end up stabbing yourself. Not a single person has died from smoking marijuana, yet the legal substances like "Spike" are produced in unregulated environments with strange, man-made chemicals being infused in them with proven health problems as a consequence. I don't know about you, but as far as this drug war goes, it's time for a change. I'm not saying legalizing methamphetamine, but a completely new outlook needs to be taken toward our nation's drug problem. After all, remember what happened when we banned alcohol? Todd Lyon Warner Robins - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake