Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jan 2005
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2005 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Virginia Lee Adi, R.N.

DON'T SPRAY AFGHANISTAN'S POPPY FIELDS

The proposed aerial spraying of poppy fields in Afghanistan would be
perceived as just another arrogant act of Americans poisoning the
earth. A more useful solution would be to pay farmers properly to
produce food crops and sell the current product to the World Health
Organization.

Unrefined and unprocessed by thugs, murderers and pharmaceutical
giants, the poppy latex (as God gave it) is one of the best medicines
in the world for diarrhea, cough, pain and traumatic insomnia. Earlier
physicians used it in a multitude of remedies for these conditions.

Administered orally by careful professionals to disaster victims with
the above conditions, opium could be an effective aid to healing.
Let's promote policies that allow us to be good stewards of the good
earth for a change.

Virginia Lee Adi, R.N.

Portola Valley
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MAP posted-by: Josh