Rural does not equal Idyllic

When I was growing up, I lived on a farm in a very rural area of Illinois. I had no comprehension of drugs. This was in the late 1970s and 1980s, by the way. We started learning about drugs in junior high, in days before the D.A.R.E. program existed. We learned about marijuana, heroin, cocaine, PCP, amphetamines, the usual. We did not really study painkillers or over-the-counter drugs--these were not BAD in the way the "hard" drugs were.

Recently Vicki Mabrey reported on methamphetamine use on "60 Minutes II." I watched a little bit of the report, but you can read the report for yourself. I was slightly astonished at the question mark in the title of the story.

Like duh.

What else is there to do in rural America? I'm sure if a report was done on alcoholism, the same findings would be reported.

I used to buy Sudafed. Now I can't get it because it's not stocked on the shelf. There is a little note that says if you want to buy Sudafed, or one of the knockoff brands, you have to go to the pharmacist and have him or her give it to you. I just buy something else. I believe the storesin my area took it upon themselves to keep the pseudoephedrine off the shelves, rather than state legislation, but according to the CBS article, some states like Oklahoma have passed a law reclassifying pseudoephedrine drugs to Schedule 5, meaning they can only be purchased from a pharmacist.

Why does it take people dying, like this innocent little girl, for people to stand up and say no more?

Meth makers steal anhydrous ammonia straight from tanks kept at fertilizer companies. It's like they don't even realize how dangerous anhydrous is. I was accidentally on the receiving end of just the fumes one time when I was playing outside at home as kid. My dad was spraying fertilizer in the field opposite our house, and it was a windy day. The fumes took my breath away and all I could think of was that I was going to die in the yard. Thankfully, just as quickly, they dissipated and I was able to breathe normally, but it was a very scary moment nonetheless.

When will it stop?