GOVERNMENTS ARE INVOLVED IN THE DRUG TRADE

THE EDITOR who wrote the comment, "Getting involved in the drug trade is
not easy for governments" (Letters, Aug. 28) should check the facts before
writing a statement that is so clearly untrue. Involvement in the drug
trade is a primary reason for the U.S. government's intransigence regarding
prohibition. How else do you explain pushing a policy of prohibition that
creates far more harm than the substances it ostensibly seeks to eradicate?
Whether it's prohibited drugs, patented drugs or monopoly drugs
(tobacco/alcohol), governments are involved in the drug trade up to their
hypocritical eyeballs.

J. Colman-Pinning,

Waldport, Oregon

(Clearly, drug policy is never an easy issue for governments.)