HERE'S AN ANTI-ALCOHOL STRATEGY--SOBER UP!

It is ludicrous to think that more "stings" on bars and package stores
would curb underage drinking.

The pulse of this culture indicates that alcohol is good, romantic,
manly and that intoxication is acceptable behavior. The culture also
simultaneously projects that drugs are bad, dangerous, life
threatening and unacceptable.

The fact is that they are the same. Alcohol is simply a liquid drug.
Unfortunately it happens to be the lawmakers, and law enforcers, drug
of choice. Alcohol consumption wreaks havoc in all of our hospitals.
Its use is responsible for much of the diabetes, liver damage,
digestive problems, family violence, death and destruction on our
highways, and birth defects from alcohol syndrome. This doesn't seem
to matter a great deal to the adults and lawmakers in America.

The real message that we send to our younger people is in fact that
drinking is a good thing. All we ask them to do is to wait a few extra
years to act foolishly, abuse their families, kill someone with a car,
beat someone's head in, or speak publicly in a vulgar, indiscreet
manner. Why wait?

John Elway (role model?) has a new ad for Coors beer stating that it
is his beer of choice. What he should be saying is that if you drink
Coors beer you can grow up and punch women in the ladies room,
disrespect police, and urinate in sinks.

If we honestly want to get serious about violence in America, and send
a message to youth, we will sober up. Real men don't get drunk, only
weak men do.

This "war on drugs" will never be won, on any level, unless we
deglorify alcohol, and minimize its use.

Tobacco lawsuits? Let's really get honest and go after the
distilleries and breweries ; the real drug kingpins who are really
killing our children.

WILLIAM J. CLACK
Guilford