Alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, gambling, guns...they all CAN destroy lives. But on the other hand, alcohol in moderation has been shown to be beneficial to the heart for years. An argument could be made that gambling provides both entertainment and stress relief for a certain segment of society. I would never dream of saying anything nice about cigarettes, because I'd probably get lynched immediately, but really - who should have the right to tell me I can't smoke a cigarette?

Marijuana is an effective treatment for the nausea associated with some of the medications used to treat AIDS. Author Peter McWilliams literally died in 2000 because the government stopped him from using the marijuana that could have allowed him to continue to take his AIDS medication. Outlawing guns sounds like a great idea, until someone's invading your home.

It's not a question of whether or not the government should be more concerned with the alcohol that destroys lives instead of the gambling that destroys lives; it's a question of the government shouldn't be telling so-called "free" citizens what they can do with their persons or their property. The only time someone's freedom of choice should be restricted is when they start interfering with someone else's freedom of choice. My rights end where your nose begins and my fist ends, in other words.

Anyway, that's just Sunday morning rambling and I haven't even finished a whole cup of coffee yet.