Pubdate: Fri, 19 Apr 2002
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 2002 Austin American-Statesman
Contact:  http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/32
Author: Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n706/a05.html

OPIUM FIELDS

Your April 11 letter writer ("Opium fields forever?") doesn't seem to 
understand the basic laws of economics. Destroying the opium fields 
in Afghanistan will only keep the price of opium artificially high.

As long as Americans want drugs, and we are willing to pay a 
substantial price for them, somebody from somewhere will produce and 
supply them.

We have no more right destroying the opium or cocaine fields of other 
countries than other countries have destroying our tobacco fields. In 
fact, other countries have more of a right to destroy our tobacco 
because tobacco kills a lot more people than illegal drugs do.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.
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