In article , Cape Cod Bob wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 13:51:21 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article , Cape Cod Bob
wrote:
I certainly cannot argue that smoking is good for you.

However, I just don't understand why drinking alcoholic beverages
doesn't receive the same treatment as tobacco smoking.

The most obvious answer is that you don't need to worry about exposure to
second-hand beer.

Tell that to those hit by drunken drivers. Tell that to spouses,
children and siblings and friends physically and/or mentally abused by
drunks.

Alcohol isn't the problem there, it's irresponsibility. Aided and abetted by a
comprehensive failure of society to treat drunken driving as the serious crime
that it is. Drunken driving isn't nearly the problem in Europe that it is in
the US, largely because the legal system here treats it as a minor offense.

Ask any spouse of a drunk, if they'd swap a smoker for a drunk.

Beyond, of
course, the fact that the grain farmers have a better lobby than the
tobacco farmers.

That proposition is, at best, highly debatable.

Count the number of votes in grain farm states and those in tobacco
states. Debate over.

Oh, you mean those densely populated grain-producing states like Nebraska,
Kansas, and the Dakotas?

Maybe you ought to count them yourself. You might be surprised. While you're
at it, you might want to check which states grow tobacco, since you apparently
don't know that the list includes Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.


Abuse of alcohol has caused more social grief and cost more money than
tobacco.

Statistics to support this, please?

The fact that I couldn;'tfind any stats is part of my contention.

ROTFLMAO!


We all know of families that have been ruined by an
alcoholic. The injuries alcoholics cause on their spouses, siblings
and children make second hand smoke look like a walk in the park.

It doesn't appear that you've ever lost a loved one to cancer caused by
smoking.

Have you ever heard of cirrhosis? Strokes caused by blood pressure
worsened by alcohol? Fatal and non-fatal "accidents" caused by
alcohol?

Have you ever heard of emphysema and lung cancer?

Check the statistics, and see what kills the most people.

[snip]

It's caused
more problems and killed more people than all the tobacco ever smoked.

Completely false.

Where are your statistics?

Most deaths caused by alcohol are the result of drunken driving. Auto
accidents from _all_ causes kill approximately 40,000 people annually in the
U.S. Smoking and its complications are respsonsible for _ten_times_ that
number.

Not even close. Most alcohol deaths are illness related.

Doesn't even come _close_ to the damage caused by tobacco. Look it up
yourself. I'm not going to do your research for you.

--
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?