DRUG INTERDICTION A FAILURE

"Welcome to the Heartland of Drug Traffic" (Dec. 14 Nation/World)
reinforces harmful stereotypes about Mexican immigrants without shedding
light on the complex problem of teenage drug use.

The Mexican border has been increasingly militarized in recent years, while
the drug problem has deepened.

Building an impenetrable wall between Mexico and the United States is a bad
idea for many reasons.

First, it is impossible. No U.S. drug enforcement has been in the least
bit effective in keeping out drugs on any frontier, and most of all not on
the Mexican border. Second, the longstanding border interchange continues
to benefit the people of the United States. Third, militarizing our border
steals resources that are badly needed elsewhere.

Drug use among American teens grows out of a climate of despair, as ever
fewer young people contemplate a happy future. Many young people have
little hope of ever having jobs that pay above poverty wages. Drug use
thrives where there is no hope.

Our longrange interest is in strength and stability in Mexico, but our
national policies have contributed to poverty and hopelessness there.
Restructuring of the Mexican economy done in large part to meet U.S.
government demands, has ruptured the social contract between the Mexican
government and the Mexican people.

The vast majority of U.S. citizens have nothing to gain and much to lose
with the growing instability in Mexico. Increased drug traffic is part of
the fallout. Policies of our own government have exacerbated drug problems.

Deborah Fink,

Ames.