CABIN ATTENDANT RPT; MD80; LGA-FLL; BOARDING; PAX STOLE LIQUOR FROM AFT GALLEY DURING SAFETY DEMONSTRATION; PAX WITNESS SAW HIM DRINK; AND TAKE DRUGS. PAX REMOVED AND LATER RE-BOOKED.

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I BEGAN THE SAFETY DEMONSTRATION AFTER THE DOOR WAS SHUT. WE HADN'T LEFT THE GATE YET. FLT ATTENDANT #2 CAME FROM REAR OF ACFT; HE CAUGHT PAX IN QUESTION TAKING LIQUOR FROM AFT GALLEY CARTS DURING THE DEMONSTRATION. HE HAD BEEN ROWDY DURING BOARDING; SO WE DECIDED TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE ACFT. AGENT CAME ON; TOOK HIM OFF; AFTER HE MADE A SCENE CLAIMING HE HAD 'ONLY HAD 1 DRINK AND WASN'T DRUNK.' A MALE PAX SEATED NEXT TO HIM INFORMED FLT ATTENDANT #2 LATER; THAT THE MAN WE REMOVED HAD BEEN DRINKING STRAIGHT VODKA FROM A SODA CUP AND TAKING DRUGS. HE HAD OFFERED SOME TO THE MAN WHO RPTED THIS. UPON ARR (I FIND THIS PART HIGHLY DISTURBING); THE COMPUTER SHOWED THE AIRLINE PUTTING HIM UP IN A HOTEL (WITH FOOD VOUCHERS; I THINK?) AND RESCHEDULED TO FLY TO FLL ON ANOTHER FLT. AIRLINES ARE NOT HELPING THEIR PAX AND CREW; NOR IS IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY; TO REWARD THIS BEHAVIOR. I WAS TOLD BY THE AGENT IN FLL; THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION -- APOLOGIZE FOR THEIR INCONVENIENCE; PUT THEM UP AND SEND THEM ANOTHER WAY. I FIND IT APPALLING.