Crystal Meth: an increasing problem
Posted by Mathieu Jobin Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:51:00 GMT
Last week I caught an article in the daily paper 24hours which was warning marijuana users because they found pot in Surrey and Delta (BC) that had crystal meth mixed with it. This is getting very dangerous.
Those guys really want to get people addicted. This is crazy. Actually, I can't understand how 9-13 years old kids can try this very hard stuff? Who the hell is squatting around our schools to offer this to kids?
Although fighting dealers and searching for labs is very important, I still consider our government and police force does not attack the problem on the right front. Looks like people are not learning really fast about problem solving techniques. I feel we are still in the 50ies.
Drug is not a cause or a problem we should really attack on its own. Drug is really a consequence. And we really should be seeking for the causes right now. Why do people get in these problems, why are they curious trying it and why the hell people have auto-destructive behavior in the first place?
As far as meth is concerned: If I understood correctly (and please correct me if I'm wrong), methamphetamine is not the most dangerous poison found in Crystal Meth. But most health problems would come from the fact that meth is created by non professional, in home-made labs using rudimentary techniques and chemical products such as [ Canned Heat, Rubbing Alcohol, Muriatic Acid ( Used for cleaning concrete), Coleman's Fuel, Acetone, Iodine Tincture, Hydrogen peroxide and Red Devils Lye ]. I mean, the actual drug "methamphetamine" is also synthesize in real laboratories and used to cure mental health problem such as ADHD and Narcolepsy. Of course the dosage quantities are far from similar but aren’t the tons of added chemicals and the unclean recipe causing most of the problems?
We need to stop considering users as criminals but as victims and start helping them and start looking for real solutions as reducing organized crime. Ask dealers if they want marijuana to be legalized. They certainly won't tell you "Yes". No way, they are making way too much money having this illegal. This makes me think there are most likely high ranked police officers and government employees that also make huge money out of the drug market and thus make sure it stays illegal.
Many people have been waiting for years for cannabis legalization, but we are not here anymore. All this have been taking too long and we need serious steps to be taken. What if we would give meth addicts some real methamphetamine, in smaller dosage to help them quit. Once they start to tamper off the drug and their counselor allow them to use the drug one or twice a week, to help them. Why are we letting them buying some more from the organized crime while we could just give them caps? This doesn’t make any sense.
Here is the way I see it. All Drugs becomes legal, but stays controlled. More controlled that cigarettes or alcohols. Drug Houses are created where people can buy the drug and have access to all the help and information they need in order to quit using. Either they are allowed to consume the drug outside of the house or not, I don’t know. Maybe they could not, maybe it should depend on the drug type. Maybe peoples who want to quit would be separated from the others. Drug would be cheaper than market price and would have a guaranteed quality. This would kill the organize crime. Addicts would save money and would be sure of what they are buying. Real stats about drug usage would be gained. Finding causes would be easier. Users could reach for help in a far easier way. Research about side effects could be resumed and scientist would learn a lot from it. And the last but not the least, drug money could be reinvested into social program instead of being lost in criminals hands. Cops could also target crime in a totally different way and thus get more specific and efficient. Right now they are just overloaded.
Either you are against or with me, please post your comments about constructive ideas to help the situation.
Before 1971, the UK had a relatively liberal drugs policy and it was not until US influence had been brought to bear — particularly in United Nations circles — that drugs use was generally criminalised. Before the passage of the Act, it was possible for heroin addicts to be prescribed enough of the drug to manage their addiction without being forced to buy from the black market, for example.