BOOZE LOBBY DOES INDEED BUY INFLUENCE

Kudos to Jim Gogek for his outstanding column: "Stifling a study on booze"
(Thursday). Gogek asks: "So why do we have a national youth anti-drug
campaign and not a national anti-underage drinking campaign?"

Money, and lots of it. Donated to our hypocritical politicians.

I suggest that the readers visit the web site: http://www.saynotodrugs.org,
to see why our politicians oppose marijuana and other recreational drugs,
but not underage alcohol consumption. You'll see that George W. Bush
received over $400,000 from the alcohol lobby and zero from the marijuana
lobby. You'll see that George W. Bush received greater than $150,000 from
the tobacco lobby and zero from the marijuana lobby.

To see why any silly political policy persists--follow the money.

Kirk Muse
Mesa