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some other line of work. It seems a shame to single out athletes for screening. I am much more concerned about my airline pilot or bus driver. However, it may make a difference to the athlete. A particular person or team may feel that if they stay clean and others use drugs, the users have an unfair advantage. If this is so, let the athletes themselves legislate and supervise the process. With improved technology and decreasing costs, screening equipment might be useful on privately-owned vehicles. For example, a device could be developed that would have to be blown clean from time to time to keep the motor running. Sensors could be installed in vehicles, similar to our current smoke detectors, which would cut the engine off (after an appropriate alarm) if alcohol or certain other substances were detected in the inside air. Of course, systems of this type could be beaten by determined (and perverted) individuals. Maybe the whole crew of the 747 is high and conspires to have the pilot blow into the device with an artificial airbag, so that intoxication would not be picked up. This seems unlikely. Furthermore, safeguards such as the smoke detector-type device in a cockpit could pick up the problem. Of course, I am not suggesting a system in which power to the vehicle is shut off in midflight. An alarm could sound on the ground and in the craft, alerting responsible parties. In this way, technology could evolve which could stay ahead of the abusers and evaders. For inventors, developers and providers of innovative, reliable devices, monetary rewards would be great—comparable to those gained by producing and distributing drugs. If a reward of a billion dollars were promised to the first developer of a reliable device to screen for seven toxic substances in the gaseous state, such a device (if it is not akeady available) would probably be in the return mail. The cost would compare favorably to the cost of a few days' civilian and military war on drugs. If Americans are anything, they are clever at developing technology to overcome difficult problems. With this approach, inventive minds could be put to work helping, rather than trying to beat the system. Spinoffs of such innovations would produce far-reaching benefits for the masses who may or may not have had anything to do with drugs. All this raises questions about who we are and about how we want to arrange and regulate our lives. Most Americans enjoy their freedoms and are proud of them. We don't thank the founding fathers enough for the incredible wisdom and fortitude they showed in giving us this system. But it is not perfect, and they had no way of knowing all of the problems to come. It is noteworthy that they were well aware of alcohol, and did nothing to suppress it. Instead, they instituted a system in which individuals could make choices, and need only suffer the consequences. This is the essence of being an American. There is nothing wrong with spending a lot of money (but a mere fraction of that required for Prohibition and suppression) on: (1) education, ensuring that people know exactly what it is they are getting into, and then turning them loose and letting them develop and differentiate as they please; and (2) screening and further testing of a few individuals in critical positions. It is so very expensive, futile, and boring to be perpetual keeper of the masses. Of course, an approach such as I suggest might take years to evolve, depending on the rate of development of appropriate and effective technology. In the meantime, let us not gear up our economy to support the current war on drugs, diverting billions to the Coast Guard and other policing agencies. We need to start working on plans today to shift the emphasis in future. □ 596 NCMJ November 1988, Volume 49. Number 11
Object Description
Rating | |
Fixed Title * | NCHH-17: North Carolina Medical Journal [1940-Present] |
Document Title | North Carolina Medical Journal [1940-Present] |
Subject Topical Other | Public Health -- Periodicals.; Physicians -- North Carolina -- Directory.; Societies, Medical -- North Carolina -- Periodicals. |
Description | Includes Transactions of the Society, -1960; 1961- , Transactions issued separately, bound in.; Includes Transactions of the auxiliary to the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina and Proceedings of the North Carolina Public Health Association. Official organ of the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina, 1940-May 1972; of the North Carolina Medical Society, June 1972-. Vols. for 1940-May 1972 published by the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina; June 1972- by the North Carolina Medical Society. |
Contributor | Medical Society of the State of North Carolina. Transactions.; Medical Society of the State of North Carolina.; North Carolina Medical Society.; North Carolina Medical Society. Transactions.; North Carolina Public Health Association. Proceedings. |
Publisher | [Winston-Salem] : North Carolina Medical Society [etc.], 1940- |
Repository | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Health Sciences Library. |
Host | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Date | 1988 |
Identifier | NCHH-17-049 |
Form General | Periodicals |
Language | English |
Rights | This item is part of the North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection. Some materials in the Collection are protected by U.S. copyright law. This item is presented by the Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for research and educational purposes. It may not be republished or distributed without permission of the Health Sciences Library. |
Digital Collection | North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection |
Sponsor | The North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection is an open access publishing initiative of the Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Financial support for the initiative was provided in part by a multi-year NC ECHO (Exploring Cultural Heritage Online) digitization grant, awarded by the State Library of North Carolina, and funded through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). |
Volume Number | 49 |
Health Discipline | Medicine |
Digital Format | JPEG 2000 |
Print / Download PDF Version | http://archives.hsl.unc.edu/nchh/nchh-17/nchh-17-049.pdf |
Document Sort | all; nchh-17 |
Volume Link | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/search/collection/nchh/field/identi/searchterm/NCHH-17-049 |
Title Link | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/search/collection/nchh/field/documa/searchterm/NCHH-17 |
Catalog Record link | http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb1306322 |
Revision History | done |
Description
Fixed Title * | Page 596 |
Document Title | North Carolina Medical Journal [1940-Present] |
Subject Topical Other | Public Health -- Periodicals.; Physicians -- North Carolina -- Directory.; Societies, Medical -- North Carolina -- Periodicals. |
Description | Includes Transactions of the Society, -1960; 1961- , Transactions issued separately, bound in.; Includes Transactions of the auxiliary to the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina and Proceedings of the North Carolina Public Health Association. Official organ of the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina, 1940-May 1972; of the North Carolina Medical Society, June 1972-. Vols. for 1940-May 1972 published by the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina; June 1972- by the North Carolina Medical Society. |
Contributor | Medical Society of the State of North Carolina. Transactions.; Medical Society of the State of North Carolina.; North Carolina Medical Society.; North Carolina Medical Society. Transactions.; North Carolina Public Health Association. Proceedings. |
Publisher | [Winston-Salem] : North Carolina Medical Society [etc.], 1940- |
Repository | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Health Sciences Library. |
Host | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Date | 1988 |
Identifier | NCHH-17-049-0972 |
Form General | Periodicals |
Page Type | all; editorial |
Language | English |
Rights | This item is part of the North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection. Some materials in the Collection are protected by U.S. copyright law. This item is presented by the Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for research and educational purposes. It may not be republished or distributed without permission of the Health Sciences Library. |
Filename | ncmed491988medi_0972.jp2 |
Digital Collection | North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection |
Sponsor | The North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection is an open access publishing initiative of the Health Sciences Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Financial support for the initiative was provided in part by a multi-year NC ECHO (Exploring Cultural Heritage Online) digitization grant, awarded by the State Library of North Carolina, and funded through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). |
Volume Number | 49 |
Issue Number | 11 |
Page Number | 596 |
Health Discipline | Medicine |
Full Text | some other line of work. It seems a shame to single out athletes for screening. I am much more concerned about my airline pilot or bus driver. However, it may make a difference to the athlete. A particular person or team may feel that if they stay clean and others use drugs, the users have an unfair advantage. If this is so, let the athletes themselves legislate and supervise the process. With improved technology and decreasing costs, screening equipment might be useful on privately-owned vehicles. For example, a device could be developed that would have to be blown clean from time to time to keep the motor running. Sensors could be installed in vehicles, similar to our current smoke detectors, which would cut the engine off (after an appropriate alarm) if alcohol or certain other substances were detected in the inside air. Of course, systems of this type could be beaten by determined (and perverted) individuals. Maybe the whole crew of the 747 is high and conspires to have the pilot blow into the device with an artificial airbag, so that intoxication would not be picked up. This seems unlikely. Furthermore, safeguards such as the smoke detector-type device in a cockpit could pick up the problem. Of course, I am not suggesting a system in which power to the vehicle is shut off in midflight. An alarm could sound on the ground and in the craft, alerting responsible parties. In this way, technology could evolve which could stay ahead of the abusers and evaders. For inventors, developers and providers of innovative, reliable devices, monetary rewards would be great—comparable to those gained by producing and distributing drugs. If a reward of a billion dollars were promised to the first developer of a reliable device to screen for seven toxic substances in the gaseous state, such a device (if it is not akeady available) would probably be in the return mail. The cost would compare favorably to the cost of a few days' civilian and military war on drugs. If Americans are anything, they are clever at developing technology to overcome difficult problems. With this approach, inventive minds could be put to work helping, rather than trying to beat the system. Spinoffs of such innovations would produce far-reaching benefits for the masses who may or may not have had anything to do with drugs. All this raises questions about who we are and about how we want to arrange and regulate our lives. Most Americans enjoy their freedoms and are proud of them. We don't thank the founding fathers enough for the incredible wisdom and fortitude they showed in giving us this system. But it is not perfect, and they had no way of knowing all of the problems to come. It is noteworthy that they were well aware of alcohol, and did nothing to suppress it. Instead, they instituted a system in which individuals could make choices, and need only suffer the consequences. This is the essence of being an American. There is nothing wrong with spending a lot of money (but a mere fraction of that required for Prohibition and suppression) on: (1) education, ensuring that people know exactly what it is they are getting into, and then turning them loose and letting them develop and differentiate as they please; and (2) screening and further testing of a few individuals in critical positions. It is so very expensive, futile, and boring to be perpetual keeper of the masses. Of course, an approach such as I suggest might take years to evolve, depending on the rate of development of appropriate and effective technology. In the meantime, let us not gear up our economy to support the current war on drugs, diverting billions to the Coast Guard and other policing agencies. We need to start working on plans today to shift the emphasis in future. □ 596 NCMJ November 1988, Volume 49. Number 11 |
Digital Format | JPEG 2000 |
Print / Download PDF Version | http://archives.hsl.unc.edu/nchh/nchh-17/nchh-17-049.pdf |
Document Sort | all; nchh-17 |
Volume Link | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/search/collection/nchh/field/identi/searchterm/NCHH-17-049 |
Title Link | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/search/collection/nchh/field/documa/searchterm/NCHH-17 |
Catalog Record link | http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb1306322 |
Revision History | done |
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