STREET DRUGS AND AIDS

THE article on NAACP President Kweisi Mfume's accusation of government
neglect of an AIDS crisis affecting blacks (Page 5A, July 12) omits any
mention of the major risk factor causing AIDS among blacks: abuse of street
drugs.

Drug abuse is also the major risk factor causing Hepatitis C, a growing
epidemic that is projected to kill more victims than AIDS.

NAACP should set their agenda to fight drug abuse as the number one public
health crisis affecting African-Americans. And no newspaper should mention
AIDS without mentioning its currently greatest risk factor, drug abuse.

- -- Richard Parker Santa Cruz

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski