One of the most frustrating things about the federal government?s obsession with cracking down on is that it diverts resources away from serious drugs. Now one serious law-and-order Republican, at least, is admitting that other issues are way more pressing. In a Aug. 1 letter Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) takes the Office of National Drug Control Policy to task for ignoring the rise in popularity of methamphetamines. Not only does meth destroy people?s lives (and facilitate the spread of HIV), but meth labs leak toxic chemicals into water supplies.

?Marijuana is a much more popular drug in terms of the number of people who use it. However, methamphetamine causes much more destruction in a much shorter period of time than marijuana. We believe that reducing drug use is not just about reducing the number of users of a drug, but reducing the overall harm to society caused by the drug,? Grassley writes. ?While we agree that any drug use is harmful to users and those around them, the problems associated with marijuana are not comparable to methamphetamine in terms of cost to society.?

He goes on to list positive steps to curb the spread of meth that the Bush administration either hasn?t taken or has actively opposed. I don?t have much to add, except that it?s refreshing to see a hard-line Republican talking sensibly about drugs.