Speech: A Good Example

Just a nice example of a good lede, good attribution, and a good sprinkling of facts and quotes.

Halloween used to be about costumes and candy, but kids are now being tricked to associate the holiday with a new treat — alcohol.

            Yesterday, just days before Halloween, Surgeon General Tom Izzo spoke at a PTA convention in East Lansing about how alcohol has bombarded Halloween.

            “Halloween and hops do not mix,” Izzo said.

            Izzo said the wide acceptance of alcohol could be part of the reasoning behind why young people drink.

            Izzo said according to the National Coalition on Television Violence, the average American child sees 75,000 drinking scenes on television before the age of 18.

            “Alcohol is the number one substance abuse problem among America’s youth,” Izzo said. “In fact, it is the only drug whose use has not been declining, according to our most recent National High School Senior Survey.”

            Izzo said according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, currently 4.6 million teens have a drinking problem.

            Izzo said alcohol affects most organs, and can be contributed to diseases such as hypertension and cancer of the esophagus.

            “Let us not make this year the year they robbed the kids of Halloween,” Izzo said. “For their sake and our own, let us keep Halloween sane, safe — and sober.”