Drug Dealers responsible for overdoses - Bartenders responsible for drunk drivers?

I saw this article on Lacrosse Tribune website that got me thinking...

Driver in hit and run tested at 5 times limit

That guy test over 0.433 on breath test - most people would be dead. I can recall a case where a guy was driving drunk, ran into a motel with his truck and killed a man who was sleeping. He did get prison time for it and has since died.

Now, if he came from a bar, should the bartender be held responsible?

How many times lately do you hear about other people being charged when they have given drugs to someone who later overdosed? I know I have heard of a few.

Why is it okay to charge the drug pushers and not the bartenders?

It baffles me how they can even charge drug pushers, since those people did not force someone to do the drugs, but, at the same time, since drugs are not legal and drinking is, is that what separates it? Impaired is impaired and that is really what matters, whether a person was impaired by alcohol or drugs. If they left a bar and drove and killed someone, the responsiblity is on them, but at the same time, if someone gives or sells another person an illegal drug and that person ends up dying, then the drug dealer gets criminally charged? It really doesn't make any sense. There is no rhyme or reason to it in my opinion. It just seems like another way that the system is unfair.

A bartender could say, well, I don't know if that guy was going to drive when he left the bar and at the same time, that could also be true for a drug dealer, they also could say they don't know if that person is going to overdose or even use the drugs themselves at all, etc.

I know, life isn't fair, but, something just don't make any sense to me at all. We seem to pick and choose who is charged with what and who isn't and I don't know that there is much logic behind it sometimes. Maybe I just need to hear other perspectives on it, what do you think?

Comments

It would be better if they charged everyone the same. but they don't. Not all drug dealers get charged, or even investigated, but others do. Probably because some of the snitch and others don't.
drug dealers are bad.
People are responsible for their own actions. a drug dealer can't be blamed for what someone else did. the person who took the drug is the person responsible, it was their choice
I actually bartend at a gentlemen's club & I do agree that sometimes bars/bartenders can get a little out of hand when it comes to over serving for various reasons, be it they want to create a more rowdy atmosphere or they know the customer will spend more/tip more when more intoxicated, or even the not wanting to deal with cutting the person off cuz they are on super drunk auto pilot & will raise a stink. I don't, however, find it very easy to gauge the intoxication level of a lot of people when they are drinking, especially if they use a waitress, send a friend to the bar, or just don't show obvious signs of drunkiness. People respond very differently to liquor & sometimes it can be a matter of 0 to 60 in a matter of minutes when it comes to behavior or function problems. I think I do my job very well & have NO problem cutting people off or making sure they aren't driving if I see an issue, but I don't always catch Everything & they can make it to the parking lot & be long gone before anyone who DID notice, says anything. It's sad that people don't understand the bad decisions that can be made while drinking, sometimes ones that can change lives forever... I learned after my 2nd DUI not to drive after drinking, or drink when I have to drive, & I keep a clear head when serving people, but I do still drink an inappropriate amount about once or twice a week when not working! That being said, I don't think it would be appropriate to hold bartenders responsible for drivers actions as I would not expect any of my regular bartenders, much less ones I didn't know to know when I have had too much to make it to a cab in the parking lot, much less drive! There has been many nights I have blacked out & people have no idea I'm even buzzed cuz I walk & talk normal, maybe get a little more chatty, but aside from that there's no way of knowing for most, even my husband many times! Or I will seem fine, then be passed out within a minute. We have 2 breathalyzers & on have tested ourselves at .29 before & STILL remember doing it! I can't hold someone else responsible for that! Each situation should be circumstantial when it comes to blaming the bar for over serving & most places have cameras & other patrons as witnesses to help sort those circumstances out, but if we decide to just blame the bartender, then some poor guy working at the Olive Garden to pay off his student loans is gonna end up in jail for over serving drunk Aunt Betsy who ran over the mailman on the way out of the parking lot cuz she had too much merlot...though she was the 1 who decided to slam the remaining 2 liters left of the 3 bottles served to a table of 6 because she didn't want to see it go to waste...Sounds like something that would happen by me, is all I'm saying. It may be illegal to be drunk in public, but it's not illegal to be dumb in public :P
It's up to whoever consumes/injests/smokes/what-have-you the product. UNLESS it is poisoned and death occurs immediately upon consumption, in that case the dealer/bartender would be responsible. Video cameras would show that in a bar, and on the street, hopefully there would be a witness to say the meth was bad.
Bartenders can be in trouble depending on the circumstances. If the person is over the limit and kills someone during a DUI for instance.

Why don't they charge the booze? It is the booze's fault that the person got drunk off of it!

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