GOVERNMENT IGNORES TEENAGE ALCOHOL USE

Recently, Michigan State University student Bradley McCue, who was
celebrating his 21st birthday, died from acute alcohol poisoning after
drinking 24 shots of liquor in less than two hours.

Bradley McCue may have been poisoned by alcohol, but it was ignorance that
killed him.

Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey acknowledges that "alcohol is ,,, responsible for
more damage in our society than any other drug on the street," But, the
Office of National Drug Control Policy prefers to demonize adult marijuana
use, while ignoring teenage boozers.

Junior and senior high school students drink 35 percent of all wine coolers
sold in the U.S.; they also consume 1.1 billion cans of beer. 87 percent of
high school seniors have used alcohol; in comparison, 63 percent have
smoked cigarettes; 32 percent have used marijuana, and only 6 percent have
used cocaine. Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents are the leading
cause of death and disability among American teenagers.

The Partnership for a Drug Free America is well aware that alcohol is the
most widely tried drug among teenagers, but their numerous anti-drug
advertisements are fixated on marijuana.

In 1998 Congress gave the ONDCP and the Partnership for a Drug Free America
$195 million to run a new national anti-drug media campaign -- a campaign
that conspicuously avoids mentioning alcohol. In 1998 Bradley McCue died
from an over dose of alcohol because he didn't know it was a dangerous
drug. Ignorance kills. And so do political agendas.

Walter F. Wouk
Howes Cave

Checked-by: Richard Lake