Thursday, November 04, 2010

Is too much alcohol taken seriously enough?


I was once a very heavy drinker and a heavy smoker. I have also used chewing tobacco regularly in the past, so I know the effects of both alcohol and nicotine and I am well aware of all of the risks associated with both of them. It annoys me that there are all of these smear campaigns for tobacco (especially cigarettes), yet alcohol is glorified in our culture. All of the ads for alcohol depict people having a good time at parties, or tailgating, hunting, or say that "he is the most interesting man in the world" and completely ignore the dangers of drinking. Sure, they say that one should drink responsibly, but there really aren't any disclaimers about the dangers of drinking, even if it is in moderation. My point is that tobacco users, for the most part, are only harming themselves, while drunkards put the everyone's lives at risk when they decide to drive, operate machinery, or show up to work drunk or hung over. I also believe that DUI laws and punishments should be harsher. Alcohol related accidents are a leading cause of death in America and around the world, yet it is glorified and treated as a social norm. I believe that alcohol should be taxed just as much as, if not more than, tobacco because it is just as dangerous. Do you agree or disagree? Please explain you reasoning.

Kevin Farnum (8:00)