I think the biggest cost to health care - also ruining lives for centuries, destroying families, careers, causing violence - is alcohol. It is an epidemic, but it's also a huge industry. All those who worry about what marijuana will do to our children, pontificating about the evils of this and that while they sit at the bar, or armchair preaching while drinking beer after beer. Even those who know better get behind the wheel knowing they've had a few too many.. Is it really so important to have liquor stores open now?.