Tennessee on the BBC

I listen to the radio in the morning. Specifically BBC Radio 4's Today program. This is news for British policy wonks, and there are occasionally people I know, people I've chatted with in the lift or shared a few drinks with, on the show. So I listen faithfully.

This morning on Today I heard someone from the British policy elite whom I once drunkenly accosted at a Christmas party and then there was another story even closer to home. There was a little feature on Tennessee. Rocky Top and the sounds of a Crossville, TN high school homecoming parade drifted from my radio. Awww, how sweet, wholesome Tennessee fun.

Nope, it was a story on meth addiction.

From the Today programme website:

“America's long-running "war on drugs" is now focused on Crystal
Methamphetamine [link to story’s audio file]. Use of this highly-addictive
and largely home-made drug, has reached epidemic proportions in rural areas of
the country.”

Tennessee doesn't get much press in the UK* and when it does it usually isn't flattering. Stories from the past year (in the Economist) covered the collapse of TennCare (with requisite photos of dentally challenged, overall beclad hillbillies) and the Tennessee Waltz scandal wherein The Economist noted that despite the FBI using both the names Operation Rocky Top and Operation Tennessee Waltz, we have yet more official state songs they can use in political stings.

To be fair, the TN meth story on the BBC seemed pretty reasonable to me. Meth is a scourge with disastrous consequences for communities. And meth hasn't really caught on in the UK, so why shouldn't they go abroad to cover it?

Hmm, this story could stimulate demand and there is clearly a gap in the market. (I made an A in high school chemistry...) Goodness knows there are plenty of dentally challenged (track suit wearing) Brits who could use a little extra buzz in their lives.

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* Glenn Reynolds did have some positive coverage on the BBC a while back.