Pubdate: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 Source: Kearney Hub, The (NE) Copyright: 2008 Kearney Hub Publishing Company Contact: http://hub.kearneyhub.com/forms/letter-editor.htm Website: http://www.kearneyhub.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3820 Author: Kirk Muse COST OF ADDICTION I'm writing about Roger Mattson's Sept. 9 letter, "Seeds of Addiction Planted Early." Addiction is usually not a problem unless the substance people are addicted to is illegal. Lots of people are addicted to products containing caffeine, myself included. I could quit if I wanted to, but I don't want to. Addiction to coffee containing caffeine is affordable for most people. Almost nobody has to rob, steal or commit acts of prostitution to purchase coffee. Criminalize coffee and the situation would soon change. Then coffee would be untaxed, unregulated and controlled by criminals and very expensive -- just like marijuana is today. How would coffee consumers feel if their beverage of choice was criminalized by our nanny-state government? Probably the same way marijuana consumers feel today. KIRK MUSE Mesa, Ariz - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath