SENDING MIXED SIGNALS

Drugs are definitely a problem anywhere you go and from what I've seen,
read and heard, methamphetamine abuse is clearly a problem in the state of
Washington.

We have drug enforcement agents and law enforcement officers out trying to
find the manufacturers, dealers, and users of methamphetamine, and I
appreciate it. But other facets of drug use must be targeted, too.

One need of drug users is drug paraphernalia and anyone can go into certain
stores and purchase a pipe made exclusively for the use of methamphetamine.

Business owners can get away with this because these pipes are intended for
tobacco products, but clearly these pipes are used for the smoking of
methamphetamine.

I suggest that the drug paraphernalia law be revised to prohibit the sales
of pipes made for the use of methamphetamine. As Washington residents, we
won't ever win this war on drugs if we are sending mixed messages about
drug use.

Keith J. Johnson

Vancouver