The DE has gone on record saying that all of the CEOs of the cigarette companies should go to jail because 400,000 people each year suffer from smoking-related deaths (Our Word, Oct. 21). And the paper is further outraged that something like smoking should cost the taxpayers some $50 billion a year in medical costs. Because of these two things, the DE wants them to pay the maximum price.

There’re two problems with this ideology, though. One is that they forgot to point out smoking was not the sole reason why all of these people died. The other is they never mentioned anything about how alcohol causes the same if not worse problems in our society.

And everyone knows the DE advertises an array of booze in every issue sometimes these ads seem to account for nearly half of the publication. This means that the newspaper if you want to call it that is successful business-wise because of the excessive sale of hard liquor and beer.

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So why would a publication that always acts as a guide to the bars within this region be so hard on those who manufacture and distribute cigarettes? Isn’t that hypocritical? Are they saying the money from advertisers talks louder than their integrity?

To quote the paper, [cigarette companies’] profits will continue to soar as more children acquire the habit made possible by these companies. That may be true, but isn’t the same true for the alcohol merchants who advertise in your paper every day? You guys seem to be all holier-than-thou when it comes to cigarettes, but when are you going to be that way with alcohol, too?

Quit trying as this publication always does to give only one side of the truth and not the other. If you do this, maybe people on campus will stop finding your newspaper a joke. Who knows? They may even take your articles and editorials seriously.

And by the way thanks for letting me know where I can get the cheapest beer with every fresh publication you put out. You do a drunk good.