A blue-collar drug? as if
By Corey Taule • ctaule@postregister.com
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Randy Hayes / Post Register
Inmates at the Pocatello women’s prison discuss their addictions.
These women occupy some of the few slots of the prison’s drug treatment
program.
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Meth has earned a reputation for being the drug of choice for the poor and uneducated. But those who have experienced meth, either directly or indirectly, say the drug does not discriminate. In fact, on this the experts are unanimous. Here’s a sampling:
The politician:
“Some of the people next to you in church, at the table next to you at Rotary or other civic clubs, or very dear friends at this time are desperately struggling with this issue,” said Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis of Idaho Falls.
The activist:
“It is not a respecter of demographics,” said John Kulp, who along with his wife, Joyce, runs A Refuge Ministries, a faith-based treatment program in Idaho Falls.
The recovering addict:
“I ran into everybody,” said Cristina Mallow of Idaho Falls. “I didn’t stick to one group of people. It was a mix.”
The coordinator:
“Every population,” said Emily Hoyt, who runs a support group for grandparents who raise their grandchildren. “Every demographic. You name it. Rich. Poor.”
The judge:
“I think that people in Idaho have their heads in the sand,” District Court Judge Brent Moss said in response to a question about whether Idahoans understand how much meth impacts their communities.
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