59. Public health workers turn drug users into first responders by handing out rescue kits that can reverse potentially fatal overdoses. But the White House would rather the junkies just die:
But Dr. Bertha Madras, deputy director of the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy, opposes the use of Narcan in overdose-rescue programs.
“First of all, I don’t agree with giving an opioid antidote to non-medical professionals. That’s No. 1,” she says. “I just don’t think that’s good public health policy.” . . .
“Sometimes having an overdose, being in an emergency room, having that contact with a health care professional is enough to make a person snap into the reality of the situation and snap into having someone give them services,” Madras says.
Of course, killing off the junkies would make prosecuting volunteers for a needle exchange program unnecessary; pity about the innocent people (usually poor) getting stuck by contaminated needles.
60. Why Internet porn is a good deal, pt. 2: A Colorado lawmaker proposes adding a 99-cent tax on hotel in-room adult movies, to provide additional funding for child sex-abuse investigations. “Most of our sexual predators in prison are addicted to pornography,” according to the lawmaker. Actually, there’s a link between child sexual abuse and ownership of child pornography, which I’m assuming is not on the pay-per-view options menu at Holiday Inn. (Thanks to Severin at LP of Colorado Blog.)
61. A Pennsylvania woman faces a potential $10 million fine for selling items on eBay without an auctioneer’s license. Maybe I’m missing something here, but I thought that when you listed an item on eBay, it was the Web site that performed the auction, not the seller. Is this concept really that elusive for the state to grasp?
62. A Chicago cop who was caught on tape beating a man who was handcuffed and shackled to a wheelchair is scheduled to return to work in April after completing a two-year suspension, despite the police department’s recommendation to the review board that he be fired.
63. Live sober or die: a New Hampshire police chief testifies in a hearing on a bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession that he would favor bringing back Prohibition. Because, you know, that worked out so well the first time.
64. Arizona’s tough new employment laws are having their desired effects, including the ones the nativists didn’t tell you about. One of those may be reduced tax revenues, as even more illegals are paid under the table.
65. As if there weren’t enough reasons to oppose the REAL ID Act, now domestic abuse survivors fear it will create a giant honeypot for stalkers and violent exes.
66. Ohio woman calls 911 after being assaulted by her cousin; police end up assaulting her.
67. Because if you don’t make people cower in fear on the subway, you let the terrorists win.