PROHIBITION MAKES POPPIES PROFITABLE

In your April 16 front-page story "Afghan poppy growers settle in for long
struggle," our drug czar John Walters claims that the opium trade funds
terrorists. What he consistently fails to mention is that opium only funds
terrorists because it is illegal and, therefore, incredibly profitable.
Terrorists do not make money by selling beer or tobacco because these drugs
are legally traded and do not have the enormous profit margin of the
illegal ones. If we were to go so far as to outlaw milk, Mr. Walters can
rest assured that terrorists and other criminals would reap huge financial
rewards peddling illegal dairy products.

MATTHEW HOGG

Burlington, Vt.