Alcohol-related deaths across the state have made news of late, reminding everybody once again that liquor, wine and beer can be as deadly as guns, bullets and knives.

Thursday, April 26, 2001

Alcohol-related deaths across the state have made news of late, reminding everybody once again that liquor, wine and beer can be as deadly as guns, bullets and knives.

A student at the University of Minnesota in Duluth recently disappeared into a river and died. His blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. It’s the latest in a long string of unnecessary casualties caused by irresponsible use of alcohol.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Health agencies are working to combat the idea that alcohol is a harmless drug, especially among young people. Yet the message is apparently not getting to high school and college-aged people – or they’re just not taking it seriously.

The fact is, abuse of alcohol is one of the most damaging afflictions in America today. Thousands die from alcohol-related accidents or pure overdoses, and many more are emotionally scarred by the effects of alcoholism.

The message needs to get to young people: Drinking is dangerous, more dangerous than most people realize or would ever imagine. Perhaps college campuses need to find new ways to cut down on drinking, underage and otherwise.