STATE SHOULD BE HELPING FIGHT METH

EDITOR:

A picture truly does speak a thousand words. If anyone wishes to see the
frustration and toll the methamphetamine problem is having on our local
society, just take a look at the expression on Greg Whittaker's face on the
front page of the Herald-Citizen on Monday, March 22.

He is cradling an infant that he has taken out of a home in which a meth lab
was operating. This child had been exposed to the toxic fumes, which are a
bi-product of methamphetamine production.

These are the innocent victims of an evil process performed by people that
care only about where their next fix is coming from or profiting from
someone else's deadly addiction.

What is truly frustrating is the fact that we can do something about it.

How you may ask? We can convince our legislatures to ignore the retail
lobbyists and pass the legislation that could control the sale of
pseudoephedrine-based products.

Oklahoma was the first state in the union to pass such legislation. Why
wasn't Tennessee? We should be leaders in this fight.

Is money and profits for retailers more important than the health and well
being of our children?

If our answer is yes, then we are no better than those parents 'cooking'
meth with an infant present. If we continue to sit back and do nothing to
help our law enforcement officials with this fight, be prepared for more
pictures such as the one we saw Monday, March 22.

RAY LANE

Cookeville