Regarding the Chronicle's Jan. 31 editorial, "Colombia; Congress
should support Clinton's emergency package": To support the "war on
drugs" by giving a $1.6 billion aid package to Colombia is probably
the most unrealistic approach to this problem possible.

As long as the drug barons are realizing huge profits from cocaine, no
amount of money from the United States is going to stop the flow of
drugs.

Colombian cocaine production continues to increase. Why? Because of
user demand and growers' profits.

And if Colombia doesn't provide the cocaine the market demands, then
any number of other countries would step up to satisfy the demand. The
only answer is legalization along with the strictest regulation. The
control of dangerous, addictive substances by the state and federal
government would mean controlled quality, increased income through
taxation, a drastic reduction in prison populations and, finally,
putting the drug barons out of business.

We faced similar problems during the prohibition of alcoholic
beverages. It comes down to some very basic laws of economics.
Political views cannot possibly overcome these laws, as the Russian
communists discovered in their downfall.

W.C. Burton Jr.,
Bacliff