Persecute the People or Prosecute the Criminal

According to an article published in the Wednesday July 8, 2009 issue of the Washington Missourian the Washington City Council has decided to make the purchase of any medicine containing pseudoephedrine illegal without a prescription from a doctor. Break out the party hats, cake and ice cream. Instead of focusing on the criminal the city council decided to penalize the innocent. If someone that lives in Washington gets a cold they have to pay a doctor to get permission to buy a legal product. Not only has the city council punished their citizens they have also impacted the companies that make the drugs, even though they haven't done anything wrong, either. Of course, I suppose that the doctors are happy about this. And the City Council members can puff out their chests with pride knowing they have done their part in the feeble war on drugs.

I don't understand why this country can't come to terms with the use of drugs and the impossible nature of this phony war to end their use. If we really wanted to stop drug use we would treat drug users the same way that the Muslims do, kill them. Of course, that would seem to be just a bit extreme and it hasn't completely stopped drugs from being used in Muslim countries.

Perhaps we could look at drugs rationally and create laws that would punish according to the drugs effect on society. We seem to accept at least some level of recreational intoxication, both from alcohol and, lets be honest here, marijuana. Why don't we leave the alcohol laws pretty much as they are and bring marijuana laws in line with them.

As for truly destructive drugs, such as crack and meth, make manufacturing and distribution a capital offense. Maybe use should carry a potential life sentence. Both of these drugs have had and are having a catastrophic impact in their communities. Partially banning the components that are used to make these drugs is a waste of effort and a real inconvenience to innocent citizens. It sure does make the polticians feel like they did something, though.

http://www.emissourian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20341562&BRD=1409&PAG=461&dept_id=56219&rfi=6