[Vision2020] Alcohol kills 6....

[Debbie Gray]

Ted

I cannot quite understand what exactly you are getting
excited about. And how you can make the assumption that the
subject of alcohol abuse amoung youth makes me uncomfortable,
perhaps in a way that makes me incapable of comprehending the
difference between alcohol abuse and other drug abuse? I am not sure what
you are saying.
And what does that statement even mean? Of course I am
uncomfortable with the amount of alcohol supplied to minors, the
extensive use of alcohol by minors (whether driving under the
influence or not) and the same for any other drug, licit or
illicit. And lots of criminal sentences are laughably light in
my opinion. Look at DUI penalties, look at DUI sentencing in
this county compared to other counties in Idaho.

I am not dodging your central issue of the difference between supplying
alcohol to underage people and supplying drugs to underage people.  I am
not even sure what your central issue actually is since you jump all over
the place. I wonder if I should perhaps just withdraw and let you debate
this with yourself since you are already misinterpreting and reading into
my thoughts and beliefs things that have no basis in reality.

If your point was to merely illustrate the differences in punishment for
those 2 different actions, I will turn to my quote of:

> "Yes, our culture is bipolar in its thoughts and actions about
> drugs and alcohol and alcohol use in youth"

leaving out the last part where I apparently mistook your postings to be
somewhat related. You know, the ones about legalizing medicinal marijuana,
medicinal marijuana is safe, what is wrong with our country, look at
Canada, alcohol is worse than marijuana, and then your next post saying
alcohol kills 6.5 times more youth then all other drugs. I guess I did
miss your point. What was it? Does the alcohol statistic have nothing to
do with your thoughts about medicinal marijuana?

> Do the legal penalties for supplying alcohol to minors match the
> severity of the problems caused by alcohol abuse among youth?

NO. I never said they did. I don't think any of our alcohol related laws
are much more than a friendly pat on the butt. DUI? oh. well, here's a bit
of a fine. Oh, you have to work? ok, maybe you can drive to work. Well,
jeez, let's plead it down to INATTENTIVE DRIVING. Or maybe disturbing the
peace..... and then we'll expunge your record in one year if you jump
through a few hoops.

> And, would you support more severe legal penalties and more
> aggressive law enforcement efforts directed towards those who
> supply alcohol to minors?

Definitely YES on both counts, stronger legal penalities and more
aggressive law enforcement. But that won't happen until there is a shift
in opinion about alcohol as you obviously agree. Also, more aggressive law
enforcement by police officers also needs to be backed up by a strong
stance by the prosecutor's office and the judges. How many DUI's get plead
down or dismissed? More than I am comfortable with that's for sure.

Anyway, if you want to continue debating yourself using your
interpretation of my ideas... be my guest

Debbie Gray