LEGISLATURE ACTS ON BOTH SIDES OF ISSUE

I read with shocked amusement the top story in the Dec. 8 Metro section. It
stated, "Legislation creating the lottery gave the department (Alcohol and
Other Drug Abuse Services) responsibility for creating and operating a
gambling addiction program in conjunction with the lottery." Could it be?
The very same people who sponsored legislation creating the lottery
simultaneously created a program to help those who may have gambling
addictions as a result of playing the lottery. Anyone with half a brain can
see the tragic irony of this situation. (Unfortunately, when the citizens
voted on the lottery question, they were given little to no information
about the legislation itself, so we can't really blame the citizenry who
voted to adopt the legislation).

If we can legalize a lottery and create a social program for gamblers, why
not legalize the sale and use of cocaine? After all, we can just set up a
program to help those who "may" become addicted. Obviously, this smacks of
common sense. Prevention is always the best medicine. If this were not so,
we would not have so many programs telling kids to "just say no" to drugs.

Having just moved to Columbia after living in the Washington area for 10
years, I thought I had seen it all when it came to stupid political tricks.
But this move by the legislators of South Carolina and the citizens who
voted for the lottery tops them all. What a disgrace.

WENDY D. HUNT, Columbia