Faces of drug legalization

[TheeBadOne]

Before and after photos (4-5 years of meth use)

[fabsroman]

Pretty scary.

Sad thing is I didn't even know what meth is until my fiance, the pharmcist, started telling me about the problems they are having with people buying sudafed and that Target is requiring all products containing sudafedrin to be kept behind the pharmacists counter. While a prescription isn't needed, a person still has to ask the pharmacist for the medication that is one of the primary ingredients in meth.

[skb2706]

Everday I look out on this plant floor and wonder how some of these people even figure out how to get here.
For every reason someone would come up with to legalize drugs I have 87 that I look at everyday that beg to differ.
Even with all the screening we do...you would be surprised what slips thru the crack....no pun intended.

[8X56MS]

"faces of drug abuse", yes, but of legalization? Meth is legal? \

I for one, think that drugs should be legal though. The war on drugs has done more harm to America than the drugs themselves.

[TheeBadOne]

[Valigator]

Thats just plain sad......

[fabsroman]

Yeah, I sometimes wonder about drugs being legalized. It would lead to the decrease in their cost, and possibly save lives from violent death, but what message would we be sending to everybody?

Plenty of people think it is fine to drink because it is legal. I have seen judges at DWI trials debating sentencing on 3rd and 4th occurrences.

The legalization of drugs is a very slippery slope because a lot of them are more addictive than alcohol and much more dangerous if taken incorrectly.

[Classicvette63]

Not sure about legalization. I don't think addiction should be the criteria though. Addiction is in the person not in the product. (for the most part) Alcohol, gambling, sex, drugs, shopping, eating, etc are all examples of things that some people get addicted to, but most do not.

As for the pics they are sad. Makes you wonder if drugs weren't around what would happen. Some folks are just looking for a tool to use in self destructive behavior.

[Andy L]

Since meth is "relatively" new, compared to alot of other drugs at least, its interesting to see as the early methheads are aging now. Sad story, but there have been several in the last year alone that I knew were meth heads that have died. All have been in the 45 yr old range.

Thats one bad thing, and an all but unknown. What is that mix of chemicals to make meth going to do to the human life expectancy. Im afraid were finding out right now.

I see it everyday. Girls and guys that I knew when they were growing up that were good kids and good lookin kids. Now they look alot like the pics above and they arent even in thier mid 20s yet. Im afraid they wont make it long.

Legalizing drugs? Maybe pot. But no way on the rest. I dont see that pot is any worse than smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Probably not as bad as it is for someone who smokes and drinks. But the harder drugs will kill you, plain and simple. And I think that meth is going to prove to be the biggest killer drug of our time. We shall see, and I think real soon.

One thing that seems to be a trend around here at least. I was thinking about it because of the kinds of bonds we write, you can see trends. A DEA officer I run around with said the same thing. The clandestine meth labs used for making large quanities are slowing down. Most are small labs just used by a small group to make dope for that groups personal use. ICE seems to be the new wave. Purer meth, with some difference in production. And the bulk of its coming out of Mexico. Just like other drugs. Its easier to get the ingrediants and less likely to get caught. Cheaper and easier and better stuff coming across the border than to fight the laws and get the stuff here.

Dont know if its that way everywhere, but that seems to be the trend around here.

BTW, Ive seen more heroin bonds coming across my desk lately than ever before.

Andy

[Dan Morris]

Sad is a understatement... I've seen these people vegitate daily. Brains and body wasted! Yet we want it legalized...sheesh!
Dan

[drummer]

Two sides of this argument.Meth is illegal,but people still use it.Remember what a smashing success the Volstead Act was?We haven't had any problems with drunk driving deaths or alcohol-induced violence since the 1920s have we?

On the other hand...

Meth is bad stuff.It is severely toxic to nonusers exposed to the chemicals.How about making the manufacture and sale of meth a capital offence?

Either legalize it or make the penalty so severe that demand goes way down (a la Taiwan).Same with a war:Either go all out or don't go at all.That philosophy might remedy some of the current problems.

[myEspringr]

Legalize, look @ smoking, how many people die from this, that's not near as hard on the body. i think it would just be a bigger prob. in the long run, imagine the homeless people then. Plus the fear of our kids getting their hands on it easier, i'm not sayin' they can't now but it would definetly be more of it around.