In the Sun Journal of Aug. 8 was an article about self-snuffing cigarettes. I believe that is a good thing. I have a habit of flipping my cigarette butts out the car window. Once, one came back into the car and I did not know of it until the whole back of my shirt was on fire.

At home, I take responsibility for my smoking – I smoke only in the kitchen, and never smoke lying down.

In that same article, was the wording, “Cigarettes start fires in a number of ways; through improper disposal, smokers falling asleep while smoking or any number of accidents that occur when alcohol is thrown into the mix.”

“When alcohol is thrown into the mix…” How many times, when there is abuse, fires, deaths, etc., is alcohol involved?

It appears that nobody wants to address the alcohol problem in Maine. Just in Franklin County, I see numerous families being destroyed due to drinking. No, we cannot help everyone and, yes, some people can drink sensibly. Yet the problem is ignored. The professional community seems uneducated in the problem.

Recently, I was in a store to buy a soda. A man in front of me bought a bottle of beer for $1.04. My soda, same size, cost $1.34. Does that make sense?

Maine officials should think of more tax on alcohol if the state needs more money.

Karen Raymond,

New Vineyard


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