Alcohol, drugs kill more people than guns do

How many children must we sacrifice to the widespread use of illegal, harmful and dangerous drugs? These include alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, and legal and illegal street drugs.

It is time for every person of goodwill to put down their drink or cigarette and write their congresspeople and demand they revise our drug laws. We need universal testing of every driver to verify they are not a drinker or smoker before they are allowed to get into a car. If they drink or smoke (nicotine is a drug) they should have to paint their form of substance abuse on the roof so the police and nosy people can see it. Since thousands of children are killed each year by these negligent people, they should have to pass a self-funded mental health exam every five years. Any record of laws being broken should result in their car being confiscated and sold to support Kinderhaven and they should never be allowed to drive again, even if it is to take their sick child to the hospital.

To be allowed to use these dangerous substances, people should be able to prove they are of sound mind (they use drugs) and take a course in healthy habits and pass with at least a C grade. In addition they must show a current insurance policy when buying alcohol, cigarettes or street drugs to protect us from their evil lifestyle. 

No  one's life has ever been saved by the use of alcohol and drugs but several hundreds of lives are saved every year by the judicious use of firearms. 

BARRY GAGE

Sandpoint