THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996           TAG: 9609050008
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A14  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   24 lines

PUT A CORK IN WINE REMEDY

So Professor Roy Williams thinks that, just in case it might help prevent breast cancer, women should start drinking two glasses of wine a day (Sept. 2, ``ODU scientist says wine might prevent breast cancer'').

How about those women who will become alcoholic following his advice? Depending on whose statistics you use, anywhere from 1 in 15 to 1 in 5 people who drink alcohol will develop alcoholism. It is estimated that about 100,000 people each year die from the direct effects of alcohol abuse.

Then there are the traffic fatalities, suicides, murders and other deaths in which alcohol abuse plays a significant role. I think that this is totally irresponsible and unbalanced jornalism.

And think, if two glasses are good, how much better is the whole bottle going to be? Anyway, it's going to go flat in the refrigerator overnight once you pull the cork, so you might as well drink it all. . . .

DOUGLAS M. LESTER

Virginia Beach, Sept. 3, 1996 by CNB