ANTI-DRUG ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN WON'T WORK

The White House drug control strategy portraying casual illicit drug users
as unpatriotic and somehow responsible for Sept. 11, carries forward the
same failed efforts at drug prevention as the "Reefer Madness" campaign of
the 1930s.

Marijuana is by far the most popular illegal substance. Smokers know it is
primarily homegrown in the U.S. and imported from Canada or Mexico, so this
approach is likely to have little effect on its consumption. Its
prohibition, however does help promote organized crime here and abroad.
Opium production clearly occurs in Afghanistan and one could assume is
helping fund the terrorists.

Fifteen of the hijackers of 9/11/01, as well as UBL, were from Saudi
Arabia. The countries preaching the most hateful anti-American message are
sitting on the majority of the world's oil. It is obvious most money is
coming from our unstoppable addiction to petroleum. I see no effort by
officials to portray drivers of SUVs as unpatriotic, although their
negative effects on our country and planet are many.

Will the patriotic $5.2 million dollar advertising campaign cause a heroin
addict to put down the needle? I think the chances are about as good as a
Texas oilman trading in his Cadillac Escalade for a Chevy Metro.

Steve Evans, Crete