Pubdate: Mon, 27 Nov 2000
Source: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
Copyright: 2000 St. Paul Pioneer Press
Contact:  345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101
Website: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/
Forum: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/watercooler/
Author: Peter Neuman

WHEN WILL WAR ON DRUGS BE EXTENDED TO LIQUOR?

Tuesday evening's drug shootout demonstrates the dangers to society of our
war on some drugs. While all drugs have dangers, especially if adulterated
and marketed by criminals, prohibition-era gun battles are more dangerous to
the safety and security of American citizens.

Given the recent epidemic in police shootings, gun battles in sleepy St.
Paul are damaging to the police reputation as peace officers.

My question is: Since alcohol and tobacco kill thousands annually and are
abused by children nationwide, when are we going to start treating these
home-grown drugs commensurate to their addictiveness and lethality? Where
are the 1 a.m. sobriety checkpoints, or the police abstinence raids on local
centers of addiction and alcohol abuse?

Given the federally mandated .08 alcohol impairment standard and the state
battles against tobacco abuse, how long will it be until we need
prescriptions for our favorite intoxicants? How long until sobriety is the
law? When will the drug war come to a neighborhood near you? What will you
do when your drugs are outlawed?

Peter Neuman, Minneapolis
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