Hello!

Thank you for viewing my petition for change in Columbia, SC. Right now, we all should be heavily concerned with the number of liquor stores overwhelming our community. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows the function of the central nervous system. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person's perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

We cannot continue to allow something as serious as this to remain prominent in our community.

According to this Article, between 2012 and 2013, poverty rates rose about 2 percentage points in Richland County to 18.6 percent. In Columbia the rate rose from 22.3 to 24.1 percent. Lexington County saw a decrease from 15.1 to 12.5 percent of people living below the poverty line. Overall in South Carolina, about 6 in 10 (58.5%) adolescents aged 12–17 in 2013–2014 perceived no great risk from having five or more drinks once or twice a week—a percentage similar to the national percentage.

By signing this petition, you will help me gain the attention of our elected officials so that this issue can be addressed. There should be more productive and healthy alternatives in our community for citizens, especially in high poverty areas. The youth in our community should feel inspired while traveling down North Main St., Broad River Rd., Two Notch Rd, and etc. They should not be burdened with 2-3 "ABC Package" stores while traveling down just one street, embedding in their minds that this is what our community is about.

Let's work together to deface alcoholism in Columbia.

If you're feeling inspired by this, please sign this petition. Then, voice your concerns to your local Legislator who you can find using this link:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php

I will update this post periodically as we develop goals and objectives for our elected officials.
THANK YOU!