Pubdate: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 Source: Tampa Tribune (FL) Copyright: 2001, The Tribune Co. Contact: http://www.tampatrib.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446 Author: Amanda Jones ABOUT MONEY, NOT WISDOM Robert Sharpe is wise, and our nation should heed his words when he says, ``Alcohol, incidentally, causes the greatest number of and the most severe birth defects. It kills more people annually than all illegal drugs combined. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, alcohol and tobacco would both be illegal, and marijuana, a relatively harmless drug, would not. It's time to declare peace in the failed drug war and start treating all substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is'' (Letters, April 2). Trouble is, wisdom doesn't run this country. Greed does. The drug war is a moneymaker for too many people. God help us! Amanda Jones Sulphur Springs, Texas - --- MAP posted-by: Kirk Bauer