[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6215]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           BEST CHEAP THRILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, in a story published today, 
entitled ``Best Cheap Thrill: Crystal Meth,'' the Minneapolis/St. Paul 
City Pages sunk to a nearly incomprehensible low. In that story the 
newspaper, and I use that word loosely, had the amoral audacity to 
advocate for meth use.
  Its editor, Steve Perry, then dared to try to justify such lunacy by 
saying the point of the item was that it is impossible to make entirely 
too much of the drug hype of the hour.
  Drug hype of the hour? Such a statement shows a shocking ignorance of 
the facts and an unparalleled insensitivity to the thousands of 
Minnesotans of every age and walk of life who are struggling to rebuild 
their lives. They were shattered by this alleged, quote, best cheap 
thrill of the year.
  Comparing the harrowing experience of meth addiction to a cheap 
thrill is an unconscionable act, and it is a disgusting act. The City 
Pages should immediately retract this filth and issue an apology to 
every Minnesotan who has been harmed or knows someone who has been 
harmed by this drug.
  Better yet, Madam Speaker, maybe the editors should do as I did and 
visit a drug treatment facility to see just what devastating harm this 
can cause to people and their families. I did yesterday visit Teen 
Challenge and talked to 300 Minnesotans that are struggling with an 
addiction. These brave souls are trying to piece their lives back 
together, and they would have plenty to tell Mr. Perry and his 
associates about just how much the pursuit of, quote, cheap thrills, 
unquote, like meth cost them in their lives and the lives of their 
families and friends.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot comprehend the shameful lack of responsibility 
exhibited by the City Pages and hope its pleas of recklessness fall 
only on deaf ears.
  I remind the children of Minnesota that meth is not a drug hype of 
the hour. It is a drug whose dangerous addictiveness knows no bounds 
and must at all costs be avoided.

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