To the Editor,
Making it tougher for smokers, no smoking here, this building is smoke-free, raise the age to 21, no smoking in the park, and the list goes on and on. Yet the problem caused by tobacco users doesn’t hold a candle to the problem caused by liquor. I have never heard of anyone getting killed or even injured by anyone just because of tobacco use, but users of liquor are killing and injuring innocent people every day. Drunk driver goes through red light, jumps the curb and kills innocent pedestrian. Drunk driver goes through stop sign, t-bones car and kills all occupants. Drunk driver goes wrong way and hits oncoming car, innocent driver killed, and the list goes on and on. Spouse abuse, child abuse, financial problems, and more. I say if the one dollar tax on a pack of cigarettes is such a wonderful tax, then let’s put it on every beer and drink and use the money to build facilities to care for the drunks so my income tax money won’t be used and also double the highway patrol so the drunk drivers will be stopped before someone is killed.
If such a law was properly presented to the honorable people in St. Paul who we elect to run our fine state in a proper manner, it is thought that it would pass and become law with very little or no objection. So lets take the bull by the horns and get it done.
Some food for thought.
Bertram Boyum
Rushford, Minn.