Show wv TC11 TrTTTrlTi T“" — WilWiBWCT ngtan Page 12 —The Herald Journal Logan Utah Wednesday August 26 1998 Myriad problems stem from alcohol addiction By Trent Wentz The Challenge with Alcohol Addiction Recently we heard of yet another serious accident resulting in death where alcohol appeared to be a contributing factor It seems that alcohol is involved in many traffic fatalities and many of the domestic problems which surface in our society The problem is that when consumed alcohol has an effect on the central nervous system which interferes with judgment and decision making processes There are also some other areas of influence we don't so commonly focus on which are worth mentioning The statistics which follow come from the newsletter “Alcohol Alert” a publication of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alco- holism It has already been mentioned that the brain is affected by alcohol Specifically the frontal lobes of the brain with intellectual impairment are most vulnerable and show shrinkage with increases of alcohol use consumption Studies also report that long-terof alcohol may in later yean accelerate posture and balance increasing the likelihood of falls espe-m daily in the elderly While excessive use of alcohol is often associated and heavy drinkers are 16 times more likely than nondrinkers to die of suicide which is commonly associated with depressive disorders In truth it appears that alcoholism may accelerate normal aging or cause premature aging of the brain Now for the faint of heart there have been some studies of the general population which suggest moderate alcohol consumption (up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women) may confer some protection from heart disease Cognitively dm same benefit does not apply A is safe to say that alcoholism is a problemi of the elder ly as well as that of youth Youth take the headlines with the tragedies often associated with impaired judgment but for the elderly the problems with long term alcohol use are multiple Another area of interest is the interrelationship between alcohol and tobacco Research supports the popular observation that “smoken are drinkers and drinken are smokers” In a survey of persons treated for alcoholism and other drug addictions where over a twelve year period 23 percent of the sur-ha- a died one third of these deaths veyed population were attributed to alcohol-relate- d causes and one-ha- lf were related to smoking with youth and driving there are some equally important factors as it relates to the elderly Studies report 6 to 11 percent of elderly admitted to hospitals show signs of alcoholism Some studies have shown problem drinking in up to 49 percent among nursing home residents Even allowing for survey errors the incidence rate is too high The incidence of hip fractures in the elderly increases with alcohol consumption A person's crash risk per mile increases starting at age S3 exceeding that of a young beginning (fiver by age 80 Plus older drivers trad to be more seriously injured Depressive disorders are more common among the elderly than among younger people and lend to occur with alcohol misuse Those with alcoholism are approximately three times more likely to exhibit a major depressive disorder than are those without alcoholism Among persons older than 63 moderate Indeed between 80 and 95 percent of alcoholics smoke cigarettes a rate three times higher than About 70 percent of among the normal population than a pock a smoken (more alcoholics are heavy more than influences smoking and drinking day) influences drinking smoking Obviously there are risks involved For example the risks for developing mouth and throat cancer are 7 tim greater for those who use tobacco 6 times and 38 times greater for those who use alcohol and alcohol tobacco both use who greater for those than a comparative group of nonsmoken and nondrinkers There are numerous other problems associated with alcohol but the message appears cleat A is not just a problem with immature teenagers drinking and driving Rather excessive use iff alcohol leads to problems which build up over time as habits are formed which leads to depression loss of cognitive abilities cancer and death We would be wise to use alcohol with care and moderation Trant Wantz Is ths director of wvkw for Cache and Rich counties of Bear River Mental Health Services Inc 95000 acre ranch Airborne vets recall combat missions for sale to feds LOS ALAMOS NM (AP) — Majestic mountains footloose elk and an ancient vol canic crater are serving as lobbyists in a campaign to per- suade Congress to buy a ranch in northern New Mexico Three influential Republican Congressmen got a firsthand 95000-acr- e look at the Baca Ranch on Monday clearly impressed by the majesty of its pristine meadows and ed mountains Congress and the Clinton Administration have teamed up to hammer out a bipartisan deal that would purchase the land and place it under federal authority Some environmental groups have criticized a congressional proposal to keep it workas a government-owne- d while ranch others have ing questioned the expense The Texas family that owns the ranch has set a deadline for Congress to take some action by December “I don't think I’ve ever been on a ranch that is as beautiful as this and is as unique as this" said Rep Jim Hansen chairman of the House subcommittee on national ah parks and public lands Hansen and Rep Ralph Reg-ul- a joined New Mexiio co Republican Rep Bill Redmond on a helicopter tour of the ranch which is about 60 miles northwest of Santa Fe and is surrounded by the Santa Fe National Forest Hansen said he thought most Americans would find the land very desirable but he and Reg-ul- a agreed it would not be an easy deal to push through Congress An appraisal is under way to determine the fair market value of the land which some expect to be $100 million or more The land was valued at $37 million to $35 million in 1980 The ranch features six val- leys and mountains up to 11000 feet It also contains much of an ancient volcanic crater known as the Valles Caldera which is 15 miles across at its widest point By Jim Strader Associated PreBS writer better” environmental groups last week criticized the trustee management plan saying it was “based on a dangerous philosophy of privatizing public lands” “Jumping’s for the birds That’s why God gave them wings I jumped because that was our mission" —Edward Whalen 82nd Airborne veteran “Jumping's for the birds That's why God gave them In addition to World War D the unit saw action in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War as well as World War II — two in Italy and one in the Netherlands military operations in Grenada troopers who met earlier this month in nearby Harrisburg The troopers jumped from M0 feet about twice the altitude of a combat jump A long descent is dangerous when the enemy is on the ground “You jump right where you’re As he locked down to the river he was struck by the calm and ordinary nature of the scene “You just wonder was it worth all that?" he said Richard Mote 73 of Indi- anapolis attended the Aug 13 jump in a military campaign cap ery” Mote a retired history teacher said he felt it was important to share his wartime experiences with his students “When we got to World War II I say to the kids ‘Put the book away I was there”’ he said “This is not an ego thing It was I don’t want them horrifying to forget it I don’t want my grandchildren to forget it” OF "WOMEN VOTERS together without their wives stod you can have a pretty good bull session” he said A “We caught hell no matter where we were It seemed like they always put us up in the front" Leonard jumped into combat three times in World War U the last time in the Netherlands as Allied troops attempted to cap- ture a series of bridges that would 50th D-D- ay anniversary ceremonies at Normandy The French people he said remained grateful half a century later for the sacrifices of American troops in driving out the Nazis “The people they didn't forget" Mote said “They'd say ‘American paratroopers You freed us from five yens of slav- fife THE LEAGUE “You get a couple of guys ! some from the decorated with patches and pins and Panama Bill Leonard of Lancaster Pa said the reunions offer veterans the chance to catch up with each other and relive experiences both fun and frightening ‘ Fort Bragg NC--- TlK'dctiKmstration was part'of j the annual meeting of the 82nd Airborne Division Association a group of active and veteran para- allow infantry units and tanks to press toward Germany One bridge was taken by the 82nd by water as paratroopers peddled rubber boats across the Waal River under German fire Leonard said only two of the 12 men in his boat made it across the river without being wounded or killed the “We got halfway across guy on the right Ids head was in the water I wiled him out” said Leonard who was shot in die leg Yean later Leonard returned to the town of Nijmegen and crossed the bridge in a tour bus Whalen reached the ground unscathed before dawn on that June 1944 morning just as he did in three other combat jumps in spectators who watched about 300 members of the 82nd jump from six planes that had flown from thp divisiqw4ho19tbaseof Several anywhere in the world D-D- ay Under a proposal by Sen Pete Domenici the land would operate as a working ranchHis proposal would and have establish appointed board members — representing people involved with ranching recreation wildlife and other fields — run the property The 82nd’s hallmark is readi- ness Its troops are prepared to depart without notice for fighting recalled the night he parachuted into France and landed amid startled Germans hours before the beach assault "I got hooked up in a tree and a guy was shooting at me — about 3 feet over my head” the veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division said "Then he ran away They got scared too” wings" Whalen said “I jumped because that was our mission” Whalen of Metairie La was among a crowd of veterans and R-N- M fight" Whalen said “The less of a I NEW CUMBERLAND Pa (AP) — As hundreds of paratroopers jumped from a hazy morning sky Edward Whalen Redmond described the property as the “Grand Canyon of northern New Mex- ico” going to LfOACV Of EMPOWEMNO CITIZENS TO SHAK Baron commumtks Join ths League mb ADO VMM voice Cau Sponsoring stalk by: Audrey M Godfrey recognized womens rights historian "Remember the Ladies: Howfar we hare come SummRoieiSpSiia First Visit Try Chiropractic Today I 770-105- 5 Saturday August 29th at 12:00 at The Coppermill ONE DOZEN ROSES ARRANGED ONLY FRED’S FLOWERS 41 North Main Logan 752-624- 2 BO Hi Tickets are $1000 and reservations are required Call 752-876- or 5 1998 Utah 752-787- 8 State Fair ft there airy tfaf carf Fair Sept 10-2- 0 Rodeo Sept 10-- 13 there’s something for everyone! 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