REMEMBER ALCOHOL

Robyn Blumner's appeal to legalize drugs has a logical ring to it if
you look narrowly at the aspect that she chooses to use as her
rationale. Fortunately, those in positions of responsibility have
looked at the overall ramifications of legalizing drugs and found her
argument wanting.

She doesn't factor into her equation the dramatic cost to our society
of the major mind-altering drug that is already legal. Traffic
fatalities due to alcohol abuse are one of the leading causes of
death in our country. Go to any prison, and the vast majority of
those incarcerated are there for crimes committed while under the
influence of alcohol. And those criminals include a huge number of
minors who shouldn't have access to alcohol but who, because of its
easy availability, are able to get it without any problem. Check the
instances of child abuse, domestic violence and breakup of the
family, and you'll find that alcohol use plays a key role in the
tragic statistics in these areas.

Now take into account the lives simply ruined by alcohol addiction.
Most of the homeless people on our streets are there due to mental
difficulties, and most of those mental problems stem from abuse of
alcohol. People who wind up addicted to alcohol don't take their
first drink in order to become alcoholics. They take it because it's
readily available.

I'm curious why Robyn Blumner chose not to take these clearly
negative factors into account before promoting the legalization of
any other mind-altering drug.

Terry Kemple

Executive Director

Community Issues Council

Valrico