ALCOHOL IS THE NO. 1 DATE RAPE DRUG

RE "RAPE drugs criminal 'weapons': Alliance MP" (Sept. 24): It will be
interesting to hear alcohol called a weapon. Alcohol is the No. 1 date rape
drug.

Are they going to address the licit drug implicated in more than 80% of
rape cases that involve drug induced incapacitation? Or, is it only those
"other" drugs that need to be called weapons, while alcohol is just dandy?

I think drug warriors will engage in any level of irrational fear-mongering
to try to ramp up their counterproductive drug war. For instance, if these
new intoxicants are being used broadly in this fashion and it is such a
problem, might we be given some documentation of the phenomena?

In addition, might it be too much to ask that they end the inconsistency
and address why it is alcohol has been used to rape women for centuries,
yet it is okay and legal while these other far less used drugs are somehow
deserving of being called 'weapons'?

Matthew Hulett

Brick, N.J.

(We're shocked you can't make a distinction between alcohol consumption and
a noxious drug administered without an individual's knowledge)