Pubdate: Sun, 05 Nov 2006 Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY) Copyright: 2006 Johnson Newspaper Corp. Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm Website: http://www.ogd.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689 Author: Larry Seguin DRUG WAR To The Editor: The first week of October St Lawrence County celebrated the largest cocaine bust in county history when the Drug Task Force seized 14 ounces. The last week of October that record seizure was broken by the record seizure of two pounds of cocaine. This month President Bush will ask Congress to maintain current aid levels to Colombia adding another $600 million to the record $4 billion tax dollars spent since 2000 to support the Latin nation's fight against drug trafficking. Adding another $600 million while acknowledging a 26 percent increase in coca production in 2005. The war on cocaine was not designed to be won. Too many are employed by it. Prisons are distributed for head counts to secure state and federal aid. The employment secures votes. A vicious cycle of war that accomplishes nothing but the greed for political power. Time to chart a new course for victory in the war on cocaine, put coca leaves in our super markets. South Americans routinely drink coca tea and chew coca leaves. The tiny amount of cocaine in the leaves is a mild stimulant and appetite suppressant that isn't more frightening than coffee or colas, in fact, it might be less addictive than caffeine, and on balance it might even be good for you. When the World Health Organization asked scientists to investigate coca in the 1990's, they said it didn't seem to cause health problems and might yield health benefits. The nation wouldn't need a 'Plan Colombia', prisons, or new county jails sucking the taxpayers dry of hard-earned money. Of course there would be some that would disagree with eliminating hard core drug addiction controlled by gangs of organized crime. Larry Seguin Lisbon - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin