Doc Anderson on Dr. Phil

State Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson, Waco's favorite Republican veterinarian, will appear on the "Dr. Phil Show" today at 3:00. He filed a bill Monday to ban the drug Salvia, and will discuss its effects on the show.

Salvia is a hallucinogenic drug that is currently legal in Texas, and can be purchased over-the-counter here in Waco and other parts of Texas. I don't know much about it, and have obviously never used it, but check out Wikipedia for more information.

Honestly, I'm a little apathetic about drug related issues, becuase I don't do drugs, and have never really been affected by them positively or negatively. I tend to think that marijuana should be legalized, just becuase I have know a lot of people who smoke weed that lead productive lives, and are not "hooked" or tempted to try harder drugs. I do think, however, that if it ever was legalized, employers should be able to ban its use among their employees. I also believe that jail sentences for crack and powder cocaine should be standardized because sentences for crack, which is mostly used by low-income minority users, are much harsher. I am definitely not a warrior against drugs, but I don't want to see rampant drug use, either.

Salvia seems to me like a mix between marijuana and LSD, depending on which side you ask. Anderson has proposed before (unsuccessfully) that salvia "dealers" could pay up to $100,000 in fines and receive up to life in prison. His current bill (House Bill 126, if you care to know), if passed, would make it a Class A misdemeanor for use or possession, with escalating penalties for subsequent convictions or large amounts.

Honestly, I really have no opinion on this issue. My one complaint is that we have other things to worry about beside the recreational use of a drug that doesn't really seem to be a widespread problem. However, State Reps have already filed bills on incendiary issues such as abortion, immigration, education, and taxes, so I bet we'll be seeing what is important soon enough.