seMissourian.com: Editorial: Thwarting meth (03/18/10)

For the ninth consecutive year, Missouri in 2009 had the most methamphetamine lab incidents in the nation. Since 2005, anyone purchasing over-the-counter drugs containing ingredients used to make meth has been listed on logs kept by retailers. This meant law enforcement had to go from pharmacy to pharmacy to see if meth makers were making purchases at multiple locations.

In 2008, Missouri adopted a law requiring the development of electronic logs that would have put all such purchases into a central database. But the tracking system wasn't funded. Now pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay for the development of the database. A Louisville, Ky., company that already maintains similar logs for nearby states has been selected to develop the centralized system.

The new system will give law enforcement access to purchases made anywhere in the state. It also is designed to detect fake IDs and other red flags regarding cold medicines containing potential meth ingredients.

Legislation has been proposed to require a doctor's prescriptions for these over-the-counter remedies, a move that would stymie sales to meth makers but make it more difficult for people with colds to get medication. The new database should give law enforcement a key tool to thwart meth making.

I just can't understand current thinking!

If we have a problem, lets punish everyone (prescriptions required).

Let's see, based on this thinking, automobiles are the reason that there are automobile accidents, so let's make driving require a prescription.

Knives cut, so let's require a prescription to own a knife.

Fire burns, so let's require a prescription to have a fire!

I think you can see this line of thinking does not work!

Whatever happened to REALLY punishing those who break the law? I don't mean a slap on the wrist I mean something that will make an example of the person who broke that law!

There are those who will tell you that capital punishment does not work. If that is the case, then why is there not a line of people waiting to climb an aluminum ladder at all convenient power line poles? Not having touched a 7200 volt line, I am not sure what kind of high this produces, but I am sure it is a "real trip" for a split second, then you are TOAST!

The answer is....capital punishment does work, if it is applied equally and quickly (after a conviction).

There are two benefits to this, first we make an example of the violator, and we get rid of him/her at the same time. Eventually we get to the point that there is almost no violation of the laws prohibiting manufacture of Meth!

Jeepers, that is almost too easy, isn't it?

-- Posted by Walkenstick on Thu, Mar 18, 2010, at 5:44 AM