Pubdate: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 Source: Florida Today (Melbourne, FL) Copyright: 2003 Florida Today Contact: http://www.flatoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532 Author: J. Dale Schultz DRUGS FLOW TOO EASILY INTO U.S. A generous portion of a recent Florida Today front page was committed, along with considerable additional space on the second page, to informing readers of the numerous agencies engaged in the battle against bootleg and counterfeit cigarettes. Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds have hired their own undercover tobacco police and last year checked more than 40,000 stores and filed lawsuits against more than 2,700 retailers. It sounds like a gallant effort, but my problem is this: In our own country, the land of the free, how is it possible that uncontrolled cocaine, heroin and marijuana are available in every state, in every city and in every small town? Obviously it is being shipped across our borders by the carload, trainload, shipload, planeload and luggage load, without much control. I'm disgusted. Our federal agencies are failing. Maybe Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds could help. J. Dale Schultz Cocoa Beach - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman