Pubdate: Fri, 24 Sep 1999
Date: 09/24/1999
Source: Omaha World-Herald (NE)
Author: Andrew Sullivan, Omaha
Note: Andrew Sullivan is the State Chair of the Nebraska Libertarian Party.

The editorial page is wrong to blame the Omaha Police Department for
the problems of underage drinking ("Wrong Signal on Teen Drinking,"
Sept. 15). Law enforcement officials are expected to enforce drug laws
that make no sense.

Why can you smoke tobacco at 18 but are not allowed to drink alcohol?
Why is marijuana illegal when alcohol is more dangerous? Police must
contend with the fact that a large portion of the public thinks the
drinking age is too high and are actively engaged in evading the law.

State lawmakers in both Iowa and Nebraska gave up the rights of the
people to make their own laws when the federal government threatened
to take away highway funds if the drinking age was not raised to 21.
Get the federal government out of making drug policies and end the
federally funded Project Extra Mile.

Andrew Sullivan
Omaha