CASH CROP

Tim Padgett reported on the political movement in Bolivia and
elsewhere in South America to let the growth of coca leaves flourish,
even though they are the raw material of cocaine [LETTER FROM BOLIVIA,
Aug. 5]. Despite the fact that it is American citizens who abuse
drugs, the U.S. government targets the farmers who grow coca rather
than the users of cocaine. Other countries are told that they are
responsible for restricting drugs supplied to the U.S., but it is
clear that without a market here, the farmers, drug cartels and
pushers would have no one to buy the products of their coca leaves.
When will the U.S. understand that the government can't stop people
from taking drugs? And when will the U.S. stop spending taxpayer
dollars to force the rest of the world to accept our values?

ELAINE HEROLD
Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

On a recent trip to South America, I found coca leaves sold everywhere
- -- in the market, at the store, on the streets. But they are sold as
"an anesthetic and a salubrious chew." The porters I hired chewed
these leaves to alleviate pain or sickness while hiking the steep
trails. Chewing coca leaves is as much a part of South America's
culture as drinking Coca-Cola is to ours. Eradicating coca-leaf farms
would be stamping out part of another culture. Getting rid of coca
leaves will not miraculously eliminate cocaine as a problem.

AMY WONG
Saratoga, Calif.