Pubdate: Thu, 17 Feb 2005
Source: High Point Enterprise (NC)
Copyright: 2005 High Point Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.hpe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576
Author: Don Swink

FOCUS ON DRUGS NOT SMOKING

This letter is in reference to the bill that's been introduced by State 
Rep. Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson. Although I support his right not to smoke, 
I also support the rights of the many people who do smoke, of which I am one.

The last time I checked, this was America, land of the free.

What it comes down to is you have a choice. If I go to a restaurant, and 
they have that little "No Smoking" sign on their door, I simply turn and 
walk away. I do not patronize establishments that don't allow smoking. You 
have that same right - if you go to a restaurant, and they don't have that 
little "No Smoking" sign on their door, you could turn and walk away.

I'm getting tired of so called politicians taking our rights away one by 
one. It seems to me that your time could be much better spent doing 
something constructive like introducing a bill to start a drug abuse program.

We read about all these people going through our court system for drugs, 
and being put on probation, but it stops there because there are really no 
programs in place for these people, so they end up violating probation and 
coming back through the court system again. Then their probation is 
extended or they're sent to prison.

At some point and time we're going to have to deal with the root of the 
problem and try to put some kind of program in place to educate and 
aggressively treat these people. Note: Tobacco is not an illegal drug.

I smoke and I vote.

DON SWINK

Thomasville
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom