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The first Sally Harpold knew there
was a problem was when sheriff's deputies showed up at her home in
Clinton, Ind., with a warrant for her arrest. But the evidence was
clear: four months before, her husband had gotten a cold, and she went
to the drugstore and got him some over-the-counter cold medicine. A few
days later her daughter caught the cold, so Harpold stopped at another
drugstore and got her some medicine too. Once the purchase paperwork
was matched up, authorities realized she had committed the crime of
buying 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine, an ingredient of crystal meth, but
also a common decongestant for runny noses. "The law does not make this
distinction," says Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina Alexander. "I'm
simply enforcing the law as it was written." State law limits purchases
to 3.0 grams in any 7-day period. Harpold was taken away in handcuffs,
and her local newspaper ran her mug shot on the front page with the
headline, "17 Arrested in Drug Sweep". She faces up to 60 days in jail
and a $500 fine. "It's unfortunate," said Vigo County Sheriff Jon
Marvel, whose deputies made the arrest. "But for the good of everyone,
the law was put into effect." (Terre Haute Tribune-Star)
was a problem was when sheriff's deputies showed up at her home in
Clinton, Ind., with a warrant for her arrest. But the evidence was
clear: four months before, her husband had gotten a cold, and she went
to the drugstore and got him some over-the-counter cold medicine. A few
days later her daughter caught the cold, so Harpold stopped at another
drugstore and got her some medicine too. Once the purchase paperwork
was matched up, authorities realized she had committed the crime of
buying 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine, an ingredient of crystal meth, but
also a common decongestant for runny noses. "The law does not make this
distinction," says Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina Alexander. "I'm
simply enforcing the law as it was written." State law limits purchases
to 3.0 grams in any 7-day period. Harpold was taken away in handcuffs,
and her local newspaper ran her mug shot on the front page with the
headline, "17 Arrested in Drug Sweep". She faces up to 60 days in jail
and a $500 fine. "It's unfortunate," said Vigo County Sheriff Jon
Marvel, whose deputies made the arrest. "But for the good of everyone,
the law was put into effect." (Terre Haute Tribune-Star)
Lisa Snyder lives near a school bus
stop in Middleville, Mich. A couple of neighbors need to head for work
before the bus arrives, so Snyder said she would be happy to keep an
eye on their kids until the bus arrives. But when the Michigan
Department of Human Services heard about it, they ordered her to stop:
watching someone else's kids makes her home an "unlicensed daycare
facility" in the state's eyes. To comply with its rules, she must apply
for a license to watch the kids -- even though she doesn't charge
anything. "It's crazy," Snyder said. "I'm just helping out a couple of
friends." She asked State Rep. Brian Calley for help, but when he
called DHS they told him to bug off. He has promised legislation to
deal with the problem. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
stop in Middleville, Mich. A couple of neighbors need to head for work
before the bus arrives, so Snyder said she would be happy to keep an
eye on their kids until the bus arrives. But when the Michigan
Department of Human Services heard about it, they ordered her to stop:
watching someone else's kids makes her home an "unlicensed daycare
facility" in the state's eyes. To comply with its rules, she must apply
for a license to watch the kids -- even though she doesn't charge
anything. "It's crazy," Snyder said. "I'm just helping out a couple of
friends." She asked State Rep. Brian Calley for help, but when he
called DHS they told him to bug off. He has promised legislation to
deal with the problem. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
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