The American Medical Association (AMA) has recently called for federal legislation against synthetic substances, like those found in bath salts (pdf), that can cause psychotic hallucinations and even death. Bath salts are abused as recreational drugs typically by injection, smoking, and snorting, and the AMA wants sales to stop before anyone else dies.
But, should the government be banning every drug that has the potential for abuse? Will that stop the seemly growing problem of drug abuse? Should the healthcare profession be held responsible for the people who abuse drugs? I have ambivalent feelings about this topic.
Of course, I'd like for people to quit abusing drugs and destroying their health, to stop getting foolishly sucked into the vicious cycle of addiction, and then committing crimes to enable and perpetuate that addiction. I'm also for preventing drug abuse in children and teens who aren't capable of making adult decisions.
But, I also believe we can't control all of the choices adults make, and at some point, they must eventually be held responsible for their own actions. Parents should also be the ones held responsible for educating and supervising their children about drug abuse, not government, not teachers, and not the healthcare industry. We can help in prevention and treatment, but we shouldn't be the ones considered responsible for their actions.
As history has also consistently proven, the world will never run out of unethical people and criminals seeking to exploit anyone in order to line their own pockets.
Here's the problem I see with designer drugs - Always on the hunt for ways to skirt laws, makers of these designer drugs try to stay one step ahead of laws and law enforcement. By the time laws are written against the production of such drugs, the perpetrators have switched the formulation and morphed their synthetic drugs into something new.
How can you put a stop to that? Escalate the war on drugs? Harshly allow nature to take its course?
What do you think about this topic? What's your opinion about synthetic drug abuse? Can it be stopped, and who should be held responsible for fixing the problem?
Back in my day, dropping the "N-Bomb" meant entirely something else. Today, things are much different. It doesn't seem like there's anything that will stop kids from doing something as reckless as abusing synthetic drugs, regardless of any legalities or their parents denial. HT: @Fark
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks like the choice has been made to escalate the war on drugs. And what's the best way for Government to enlist public opinion in order to help promote their cause? Link synthetic drug abuse to terrorism.
ReplyDeleteAccording to an ABC News article entitled "Bath Salts and Other Synthetic Drugs Making "Millions" for Terrorists" -
"Millions and millions" of dollars are flowing to terror groups in the Middle East from the sale of synthetic drugs like " K-2" and "Spice" in the United States, according to Drug Enforcement Administration officials.
"The bad guys need money to operate, to buy explosives, to buy weapons, to come after this country, and these designer drugs are generating millions and millions of dollars," Derek Maltz of DEA said.
Here's the official DEA news release.