CLEARING AIR IN DRUGS, TERRORISM ISSUE

This is in response to the letter titled "Demand for illegal drugs fueling
terrorists" (AC-T, Oct. 12). It has been a long time (since) I have seen a
more ridiculous letter published. Such disinformation and ludicrous leaps of
logic deserve a response.

The letter writer made the absurd claim that marijuana users support
terrorism by their purchase of an illegal substance. First of all, "a large
percentage of marijuana" does not come from South Asia, as the letter writer
claims. Virtually zero marijuana used in this country comes from outside the
Americas. Mexico, Columbia, and the United States (especially California)
provide almost all of the marijuana smoked by Americans. Secondly, the
Taliban have done their best to eradicate opium production. Their
opposition, the Northern Alliance, is partially funded by the sale of opium,
so even users of hard drugs are not supporting the terrorists. It would be
much more accurate to accuse the letter writer of supporting terrorism every
time he fills up his gas tank. After all, most of these anti-American
organizations that hate us so are funded by people in countries whose main
source of income is the sale of oil.

David Powell, Pisgah Forest