When I went into the Marines, I would guess that at least 75% in the armed services smoked. Even then the Surgeon General spoke of the evils of it. If I remember right, it was about then that the tobacco companies were asked to withdraw their advertisements from TV. After all, the ads were aimed at the youth of the time. They encouraged children to pick up the “cancer sticks,” as they were referred to.

To be sure, everyone knew they weren’t healthy, but many didn’t care, for a number of reasons. Certainly those in war zones where their life was in danger anyway, had little reason to give up smoking. After leaving the service, the habit had its hold in most of those who did not have the forethought of the hazards.

All four of my brothers picked up smoking and three smoked until the day they died. One of them gave up the habit at 70. Ironically, the smoking did not figure into the deaths of any of them. However, I knew many who did die of tobacco related deaths. I for one was glad to see the virtual death of the tobacco industry.

How-some-ever, when we tried to do away with alcohol, we failed. Most of the common, law abiding folks gave it up. However, if a person could look in on the lives of the rich, the famous and the politicians, I think we would have seen many who were living well outside the law and without anything that resembled a conscious or law enforcement for that matter.

I can’t prove it. I don’t have the where-with-all to do the research. However, you and I both know that for every death or injury caused by tobacco, there are likely 3 or 4 caused by alcohol. This is as measure of both direct and indirect.

I have seen the affects of alcohol both in person and in the news. The true question is, can the real measure of destruction ever be measured? I don’t know, but when I was in the Marines, I was told by truly reliable sources that alcohol caused more problems than all the other drugs in the Marine Corps. I would suspect it is also true in the other services.

Yet, drinking of alcoholic beverages is not discouraged. Indeed, it is encouraged. Those, as me, who do not drink quickly are on the outside. With any promotion over the rank of E-5, a “Wet down,” is expected. When I made E-6, I’m sure I was expected to do something, but I didn’t. When others had wet downs, I didn’t attend. When the squadron I was in had beer a party, I didn’t go. You can imagine the results that had.

When I was in Vietnam, we occasionally ran out of soft drinks, but never beer. The priority of alcohol, even in a combat zone was right at the top. I suppose something could be said about it helping the morale of the troops but what did it imply to those of us who didn’t drink.

While in the Marines, I thought it would be different in civilian life. The fact is that it is the same, just in a different way. Those who don’t drink are encouraged to start. Those who start as a result of the pressure and become alcoholics are fired because they can’t do their job anymore.

We no longer encourage children to smoke. On the other hand, drinking is encouraged regularly. Even family shows such as on Hallmark, show people drinking at virtually every opportunity. It is displayed as even more commonplace than it is.

Every time the TV crime solvers solve another crime, they meet in their favorite bar and they celebrate. I’m not in law enforcement but, I really hope that is not the common practice in reality. Moreover, I am sure there are those in law enforcement who don’t drink and I wonder how they are treated when I remember how it was for me while in the Marines.

It does make me wonder what might happen if the surgeon started requiring warning labels on bottles and cans of alcoholic beverages. I wonder what might happen if it would become illegal to advertise alcohol on TV. I wonder what might happen if people start becoming shamed for showing scenes of people drinking on TV, especially in a positive way.

I don’t think that will happen. For every ounce of power in our political system that tobacco had, alcohol has a pound, maybe two. It simply won’t happen. Nor will they start trying to tax the industry out of existence as with tobacco.

There is no way I would ever want tobacco to contribute to my income. However, if I were high in the industry of tobacco, I might have a tendency to yell, unfair. Moreover, I think I would have a just reason. Alcohol is much worse and, not only is it not discouraged, but it is encouraged. And yet, no one complains.

Little ol’ me; I really don’t think anyone is going to pay any attention to me, certainly not those who like the sauce, certainly not those who make their fortunes from it. In the meantime, people die from it. People become crippled and maimed in car accidents. Wives and children are abused because of it.

Then again, it’s not the fault of those who make and distribute it. Also, we all know how important the beverages are. Those who partake of them know that they just can’t live without them.

And so it is that we continue to encourage the most costly drug this nation has ever seen.

On the other hand, we sure did take out the tobacco industry, in what, two decades. Maybe it’s time to start suing those making whisky, when someone dies with a bad liver. (Don’t think that will work)