"The best weapon against meth is education."

- General Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

While it was not so long agothat the commander in our war on drugs made this statement, it is apparent that he does not mean all education. Legislation now pending before the House Judiciary Committee (HR 2987) would make it a federal crime to publish or link to information pertaining to the use of illegal drugs. Known as the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act, this bill aims to eliminate the existence of methamphetamines from the United States, but in doing so also tramples on basic free speech and fourth amendment rights. In addition, there are two other pieces of legislation, The Club Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (HR 4553) and the Ecstasy Anti-Proliferation Act of 2000 (S 2612) that contain similar provisions not only to curb drug manufacture and distribution, but also to stop the dissemination of information regarding drugs in general.

The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act would seek to curb the use and distribution of the powerful central nervous system stimulant through the addition of more drug enforcement agents and stiffer penalties for distribution of the drug. But hidden in the bill are provisions that would outlaw the ability "to teach or demonstrate the manufacture of a controlled substance, or to distribute by any means information pertaining to, in whole or in part, the manufacture or use of a controlled substance". This allows the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Department of Justice the discretion to go on a federally sponsored witch-hunt.

While no one knows how far the legislation will reach, information regarding proper dosages to avoid overdose, methods of manufacturing illegal substances, and sales of paraphernalia are sure to be in danger of being eliminated from computer screens, libraries, and bookstores. The most dangerous aspect of this legislation is that of the vagaries contained within HR 2987-- what was legal today may land a person in jail tomorrow.

The two newest pieces of legislation, the Club Drug Anti-Proliferation Act bill in the House and the Ecstasy Anti-Proliferation Act in the Senate, seek to capitalize on the fears that the media has instilled in society in recent months. A cover story in Time ("What Ecstasy Does to Your Brain"), feature segments on 60 Minutes, 20/20, and even Later Today have touted the dangers of ecstasy and other "club drugs" pose to American youth. Only the Time article gave even treatment to both myth and reality, while the others made these drugs out to be the scourge of the new millennium. Paranoia seems to be the popular trend, as even the DEA has listed on its homepage under the title "Drugs of Concern" none other than the doctor prescribed ADD wonder-drug Ritalin, alongside PCP, cocaine, and LSD

Data that politicians have relied on in the introduction of the bills is questionable at best. While many states have attempted to attribute large numbers of deaths to club drugs such as Ecstasy, Ketamine, GHB, and Rohypnol in order to gain public support, these numbers turn out to be drastically inflated after closer examination. Phil Graham (R-TX), who introduced the Ecstasy Anti Proliferation Act in the Senate, stated that "189 deaths have been attributed to the use of club drugs in the last three years" in Texas alone. If this is similar to the situation recently reported in the Orlando Sentinel, in which Florida included terminal cancer patients who committed suicide, a Miami crib death, and middle-aged abusers of common street drugs, Graham's numbers are likely incredibly inflated.

While most politicians are jumping on the "Say No to Drugs" bandwagon, some, like New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, are recognizing the futility of the war on drugs. Johnson, who has admitted to using marijuana and cocaine in the past, has been quoted as saying, "The majority of people who use drugs use them responsibly…my friends that actually began smoking pot [found] it wasn't the bogeyman." This open-minded attitude is one that politicians should examine before passing legislation that not only relies on faulty data but also will severely limit the free flow of information and cause a chilling effect on speech pertaining to drugs.