FUTILE

Letter writer Donald Dunlap is understandably concerned about the
Afghani heroin trade. However his suggestion to use our military power
to eradicate this industry is futile.

The reason farmers in Afghanistan are motivated to grow opium poppies
instead of food is the obscene profits that U.S.-driven drug policies
provide them. Thanks to the harsh criminal sanctions in place under
U.S. law (which is the model European countries are required to follow
by United Nations treaties), the poppies cost about $60 per pound to
produce and sell in the underground marketplace for more than $10,000.
We could bomb the fields in Afghanistan and the huge profits the
illegal market creates would simply allow the producers to move elsewhere.

In addition, such a move would have little impact on the heroin
business within our own borders. 85 percent of the heroin consumed
byAmericans comes from Mexico and South America. Perhaps Mr. Dunlap
would endorse bombing all of these countries as well. He would not be
the first American to actually consider such a plan. President Bush is
currently sending the Colombian military several billion dollars in
military support in an effort to wipe out cocaine production. Despite
this, South American cocaine production continues to rise.

Many Americans would like to blame our very real problems of drug
abuse on foreigners. However, we as a nation must instead look into
the mirror and address the root causes which lead to demand of both
cocaine and heroin within our own borders. No amount of military
weaponry can serve as a substitute for this. All it does is put is in
a state of perpetual war with the world.

Stephen Heath, Drug Policy Forum of Florida, Clearwater, Fla.