ANOTHER WAR YIELDING POOR RESULTS

Gil Kerlikowske, the U.S. drug czar, claims that cocaine production in
Colombia has dropped by almost two-thirds in the last decade (Letters,
March 4). In fact, that figure refers to the amount of land dedicated
to coca cultivation. But cocaine producers have increased their
productivity. According to the United Nations 2010 World Drug Report,
potential cocaine production in Colombia is actually 40% lower than in
1999-a reduction that has been almost fully offset by substantial
increases in production in Peru and Bolivia. The fact that the Andean
region produced roughly the same amount of cocaine in 2008 (latest
data available) as in 1998 speaks to the continuing failure of
Washington's hemispheric war on drugs.

Juan Carlos Hidalgo

Cato Institute

Washington