HAVE A COLD ONE

Editor, The News:

Re: Shop not hip, cool (Letters, Oct. 3).

Matt Watko appears intolerant. Although I do not disagree with most of
his points, I do disagree with his not-in-my-backyard attitude, or
that the Hemporium exposing young people to a hip and cool culture
unduly influences them.

Perhaps he does not fully understand the facts.

Would a liquor store be more appropriate? Watch any televised sports
event and there are enough beer commercials that are, in my opinion,
aimed at the younger generation. The message in these ads is clear: to
be cool, one must drink a certain brand of liquor.

What is never shown is the problems that arise from alcohol
consumption, such as spousal abuse, violence towards women,
alcoholism, and impaired driving.

The statistics are shocking. The top of the list for a drug used
during such activities is alcohol. Hemp is so far down the list, it
does not even appear.

So congratulations on having the Hemporium shut down. Now let us lobby
for a store with positive influences, such as a Signature liquor
store. Then we can enjoy a cold one as we blame the drug addicts for
all the problems in our society.

Richard Voigt

Maple Ridge