Pubdate: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 Source: Birmingham Post-Herald (AL) Copyright: 2002 Birmingham Post Co. Contact: http://www.postherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/46 Author: Stephen Heath, http://www.drugsense.org/dpffl Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n138/a06.html FUTILE Letter writer Donald Dunlap is understandably concerned about the Afghani heroin trade. However his suggestion to use our military power to eradicate this industry is futile. The reason farmers in Afghanistan are motivated to grow opium poppies instead of food is the obscene profits that U.S.-driven drug policies provide them. Thanks to the harsh criminal sanctions in place under U.S. law (which is the model European countries are required to follow by United Nations treaties), the poppies cost about $60 per pound to produce and sell in the underground marketplace for more than $10,000. We could bomb the fields in Afghanistan and the huge profits the illegal market creates would simply allow the producers to move elsewhere. In addition, such a move would have little impact on the heroin business within our own borders. 85 percent of the heroin consumed byAmericans comes from Mexico and South America. Perhaps Mr. Dunlap would endorse bombing all of these countries as well. He would not be the first American to actually consider such a plan. President Bush is currently sending the Colombian military several billion dollars in military support in an effort to wipe out cocaine production. Despite this, South American cocaine production continues to rise. Many Americans would like to blame our very real problems of drug abuse on foreigners. However, we as a nation must instead look into the mirror and address the root causes which lead to demand of both cocaine and heroin within our own borders. No amount of military weaponry can serve as a substitute for this. All it does is put is in a state of perpetual war with the world. Stephen Heath, Drug Policy Forum of Florida, Clearwater, Fla. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake