LAW SHOULD MAKE DRUG ABUSE EASIER TO COMBAT

Drug addiction sends more lives spiraling toward disaster than just
about any other destructive force in American society. Once the
uncontrollable desire to satisfy an addiction takes hold of a person,
just about every other priority takes a back seat. We've all heard the
stories, and know that all too often they don't have happy endings.

Many times, a pattern of addiction that can ruin a life takes hold
when a person is young, and begins with a substance that might be more
close at hand than crack, crystal meth or even marijuana. Often it's
alcohol, but more and more, it's a prescription medication. They can
do wonders for those who obtain them legally, with a legitimate
prescription. But they're equally harmful -- potentially disastrous --
for those who abuse them illegally.

In Escambia County, drugs like OxyContin and Xanax have become as
big a problem as any substance cooked up in an illegal backwoods lab,
especially among young people. A bill signed last month by Gov. Bob
Riley hopes to help combat that by creating a database for tracking
prescriptions, thereby curbing a person's ability to get multiple
orders for a drug filled by multiple doctors. Area law enforcement
officers are in fravor of the new measue, and here's hoping it proves
as useful a tool as they're anticipating. Anything that keeps more
drugs from making their way into the hands of our caounty's youth will
be welcome.