RISKY HERBICIDE

As we found out in the Vietnam War and in Desert Storm, lethal chemicals can
be as villainous an enemy as the enemy itself. In Columbia, the enemy in
America's "drug war" cross-hairs is drug cultivation. U.S. and Columbian
officials must not unleash a poison that could add to the war's devastation.

The poison in question is Tebuthiuron, which is being considered as a new
weapon in the effort to eradicate coca and poppy crops.

Dow Chemical, which produces Tebuthiuron, warns that the substance is meant
only for pinpoint application, such as weeds on an industrial site. "It is
our desire that this product not be used for illicit crop eradication," said
a Dow spokesman.

Fears center around widespread contamination, water pollution, poisoning of
inhabitants around the targeted fields and more.

"Overkill" is not always a word that will deter plans in a war. But in the
"drug war," thoughts of mass-applying a dangerous substance like this should
be stopped dead.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett