I Want My Sudafed

For some time now California Senator Dianne Feinstein has been hawking a terrible idea, to tightly regulate the availability of cold remedies such as Sudafed, as this will supposedly cut down on methamphetamine production.

I have been deeply disappointed that Republican Senator Jim Talent has also supported this legislation.

I find the idea as silly as gun control -- criminals will find a way to do what they are determined to do, while the innocent pay the price with ever-dwindling personal freedoms. Further, The Orange County Register notes in an editorial today that the legislation's impact on meth production would be minimal, at best.

Under Feinstein's proposed regulation, cold and allergy sufferers will no longer be able to buy their medicine, go home, and start feeling better. Instead sick people will be treated as irresponsible semi-criminals who must stand in line at a pharmacy counter for their non-prescription medication, hand over personal information such as a driver's license, sign a logbook, and have their purchases recorded and shared with government agencies.

As if that weren't bad enough, the proposed legislation has now, incredibly, found its way into the renewal for the Patriot Act. Yes, the government having records of my purchases of allergy medications is going to prevent terrorism.

Uh-huh.

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)