Meth Math

Prohibition has little to do with declining drug use...more like nothing to do with it.

Drug czar John Walters boasted that restrictions on the sale of the meth precursor pseudoephedrine and crackdowns at the Mexican border had reduced meth use by restricting the supply and raising prices. “When we are able to put strategic pressure on the supply of these drugs,” he declared, “what we’re seeing is a direct effect for the better on the number of users.”

There’s a significant problem with that theory: A closer look at data on drug use from several sources, including Quest, shows that meth consumption had been declining for years before the feds swung into action. Decreases in usage is more likely due to the cyclical nature of drug fads than to the government’s assault on domestic labs and Mexican traffickers.

Read more: http://www.reason.com/news/show/126850.html

Legalize Methamphetamine!

I’m the last guy who ought to argue for the legalization of meth.[1] As a practicing criminal defense attorney, I make a good income from defending people who are charged with drug crimes. If the drug war ended, I would lose a substantial portion of my income. Additionally, some would call me a health nut. I go to the gym six times a week and eat organic foods as often as possible. I wouldn’t change my healthy lifestyle if drugs were legal. I have three little kids. I don’t want them ever to become drug addicts. I want them to grow up in a safe world. Indeed, that’s exactly why I want the drug war to end.

Read more: http://www.strike-the-root.com/61/victor/victor1.html