Pubdate: 5 Aug, 1999 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Copyright: 1999, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact: 414-224-8280 Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Forum: http://www.jsonline.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimate.cgi Author: Gary Storck ALCOHOL HAS TOO PROMINENT ROLE In the July 31 "Weekly laurels and laments," the Journal Sentinel Editorial Board called the developments at Woodstock '99 a sorry commentary on our times. In reporting the problems at Woodstock, you failed to mention the role of Budweiser. The back page of the program was an ad for Bud. Three beer gardens on the grounds dispensed beer for roughly the same price as bottled water. In comparing this event with the 1969 original, there was little mention of the prominence of alcohol. In a society inundated with ads promoting beer consumption while neglecting education about the potential for abuse, what other outcome could be expected? In late June, our own Sen. Herb Kohl caved in to intense lobbying by the beer industry and voted against an amendment that would have included alcohol in a $1 billion, five-year advertising campaign by the Office of National Drug Control Policy aimed at teen drug abuse. If drug policies are to have any credibility, Congress needs to take a balanced approach and start making decisions based on common sense and actual potential for harm, not intense pressure from groups that benefit from keeping the current harmful policies in place. Gary Storck Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder