The "New" Marijuana?

All kinds of press was out last week about a new, mind-blowing drug called salvia. There is a rush to make it illegal in many states. From Yahoo! News last week:

"As soon as we make one drug illegal, kids start looking around for other drugs they can buy legally. This is just the next one," said Florida state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, who has introduced a bill to make possession of salvia a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

First, nothing will probably ever replace "weed" just as nothing has ever replaced it's Old Grand Dad (pun intended) alcohol.

Second, from what I hear on the streets, no one who likes weed will care for salvia. It's not worth it.

And third, why does it seem to me that we always have to have the New Drug Craze of the Week? Somewhere each week someone is trying their best to make headlines about the drug problems and the need for more of a war on drugs. This is in spite of the fact that most drug abuse has not changed its focus in years:

• Alcohol
• Nicotine
• Marijuana

And the next biggie- prescription drugs. No one is making a panic attack on them. Too much legal money to be made on that probably. Just like two of the other Big Four.

Yes, meth is huge in some parts of the country and a public health hazard in others, not a drug abuse issue. Yes, cocaine is still a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen. But more people die year in and year out with the legal ones- alcohol and nicotine- and what they do to your body.

Let's be careful not to make too big a deal about these others and lose sight of the fact that they will never be the problem the others can be. Ever. And let's not allow fear to de-focus us from the need for prevention, intervention and treatment.

And if you think I am kidding, take a look again at the post right above this one. Legal drug pushing.

(Again, let me say I am not saying alcohol should be criminalized. Most people who drink alcoholic beverages do so responsibly. But in spite of that, it is still the cause of more heartache and illness and death than any other drug but nicotine.)