There seems to be a disproportionately high number of Cowichan Lake area residents making appearances at the Duncan Law Courts lately. The charges are, for the most part, assaults (likely a result of drinking) and incidences of drunk driving.
Canadian culture is linked with alcohol – particularly beer. Never mind the deaths it routinely helps cause, the public gets into a snit when the province instates stricter drunk driving regulations.
On top of that, one of the key arguments for the legalization of marijuana is that it hasn’t caused any deaths, whereas alcohol has resulted in countless casualties. A somewhat sound argument, but shouldn’t this reasoning also be used to encourage stricter alcohol restrictions?
Forget about weakening the new restrictions from .05 to a .06 blood alcohol level before penalties are levied, it should be bumped down to zero, like what “N” drivers are required to comply with.
No one must consume alcohol before driving, and regardless of one’s blood alcohol level, it will have some form of a negative impact on your driving skills.
If you know you have to drive, don’t consume alcohol; it’s as simple as that.
Unless you belong in rehab, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
As for the argument that businesses are losing money in drink sales as a result of the harsher drunk driver penalties, this is a fine argument if you’re willing to put profits before lives.
In relation to another drug that’s caused countless deaths – Isn’t it a slap in the face when people exhale plumes of tobacco smoke at cancer fund-raisers? It seems rather counter-productive.
Another thought: It’s nice to see that the town’s elected officials have better things to do than taking part in the silly symbology of lowering a flag to half mast.