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Genesis
Health Corner
Big Alcohol: Worse than Big Tobacco
Date posted -
....my status as a concerned citizen compels me to make the following general observations based on my experience as a grand juror:
Big Tobacco: Today's Dragon Currently, there is -- in my opinion -- an admirable campaign against Big Tobacco: those arrogant corporations who peddle in poison, addict children, lie about scientific research, and abdicate their civic responsibilities for poisoning a population. Because of the economic burden faced by the states to care for populations that are poisoned by tobacco, nicotine, and second-hand smoke, we are now seeing a sea change in public reaction to corporate responsibility for smoking and its health-related hazards.
Again, I applaud and support these admirable battles against Big Tobacco, an industry that has for too long, too contemptuously, and too egregiously reaped Big Profits at the expensive of public health.
Big Alcohol: Tomorrow's Challenge But here's the rub. After my experience on the grand jury and hearing in detail the criminal consequences of lives gone out of control while lubricated with alcohol, I have to wonder if as a society we're not targeting the lesser of two evils. While the fight against Big Tobacco is necessary to "increase the peace," it is not sufficient until we also turn our sites onto Big Alcohol.
Yes, as unhealthy as tobacco is -- and even given the number of crimes, both civic and moral, the tobacco companies have committed in promoting smoking -- abuse of tobacco is not an underlying foundation to crime and criminal activity the way alcohol and drugs are. Yes, as nasty and unhealthy as smoking is, it is not normally the case that a troubled soul smokes a pack of cigarettes and then, agitated by nicotine, goes on a crime rampage. More likely, our felon-in-waiting Frankie downs a six-pack, tosses back a fifth of J.D., smokes crack, or shoots up heroin and then goes about perpetrating his anti-social, criminal activities.
...So, sure, let's fight Big Tobacco -- tooth and nail, stained fingertips and yellowed teeth -- and let's break up their evil empire and return some sanctity to the notion of public health
But let's not stop there. No. Let's use our fight against Big Tobacco as merely a warm-up, as a massive public practice of strategies and morale-building on our way to vanquishing our real opponent, the real elephant in the courtroom: Big Alcohol.
Still Not Convinced? If you're still not convinced, then let's go over the statistics again:
• 60-70% of all crimes involve alcohol and/or drugs • more than 10% of North Americans are alcoholics • a teenager sees 100,000 alcohol ads before reaching the legal drinking age • nearly 50% of automobile fatalities are linked to alcohol —Statistics from Adbusters Magazine.
If we truly want to stop crime and increase the peace and safety in our homes and our streets, we will re-think our attitudes toward alcohol and drugs -- but especially alcohol, which is a legally-sanctioned and culturally-accepted drug.
When we stop the insidious tide of alcohol in our homes and our communities -- and give people better options in their lives, so that alcohol is no longer needed as a blanket escape from pain and misery -- then we will inhabit a world of better habits.
And our tour of duty as citizens on juries may be less heart-breaking.
Genesis
Health Corner
....my status as a concerned citizen compels me to make the following general observations based on my experience as a grand juror: 
