To the editor:
Even though I am a smoker, I still realize the dangers that go with the habit, and think that the age limit should be increased to 21 to prevent younger people from starting.
However, the push for higher taxes on cigarettes, quoting the high cost for health care, second hand smoke, etc., has me wondering why the same people that support me paying a higher price for my cigarettes (which by the way I’ve been doing with every tax increase; of which there have been many over the years) never mention the problems associated with alcohol, and ask for a tax increase on it?
Examples are liver damage (heath care cost ), drunk driving (health care, auto accidents, death), social problems (alcoholism and related troubles). I recently read an article stating that alcohol is the greatest drug problem we face today and yet no one says anything about raising taxes on it to help fix the roads of our state. In fact it is promoted — go to the ballgame, buy some beer, then drive home.
By the way, you’re safer driving on the highway with me smoking my cigarette than the guy driving home drunk from said ballgame, because I don’t drink.
When was the last tax increase on alcohol? How about increasing the cost of a bottle of beer by 5 cents? How many dollars would that bring in to repair our roads, or is that to much to ask of those who drink?
Scott Wright
Franklin
