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The production of coca in Bolivia and the production of poppy's in Afghanistan is the only source of income for the many poor farmers that raise or grow the crops. The climate and terrain in those two regions mandate what can be grown, just as in this country.

Instituting new or enforcing existing laws in this country are not going to affect the growing of these two crops in Bolivia or Afghanistan. Pressuring the governments of these countries are not going to work either. In Shawn McCanna's article, 'Afghanistan: Failure of Expectation,' he stated that U.S. aid never arrived. Here in America, we are trying all sorts of programs, taxes and other means to sway people away from tobacco usage to prevent various health problems. Have other countries assisted us in this effort? We are still producing tobacco and tobacco products and the majority of these products are being exported abroad to other countries. Are we not as liable to them for selling a "legal" substance that can kill or create serious health issues with their citizens?

What did our government do when "big tobacco" came under fire as possibly contributing to the cause of cancer from their tobacco products? We initiated a buy out program for the tobacco farmers not to grow tobacco. Why would this program not work in other countries to prohibit growing coca and poppy's? I'm sure, if the U.S. subsidized the countries to pay the farmers not to grow the crops, we would see a reduction of the supply of coca and poppy's necessary to produce cocaine and heroin. Why not use programs such as the Peace Corps and other organizations to show those poor farmers how to grow other crops necessary to alleviate world hunger? We spend far more on seemingly useless projects and scientific studies.

Do we legalize these two devastating drugs to try to regulate the use of them? Then we can put taxes on them and that would prohibit the use in this country. We tried that with tobacco and one can see how well that has worked. No, legalization of drugs will not work. We could try the use of agent orange as we did in Viet Nam to eliminate the foliage and vegetation as well as the crops, but one can remember what happened after Viet Nam. We could try to educate those poor farmers as to the destructive results of their livelihood as we did in our schools with the use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. No, that only produced more sales of condoms and gave the kids a license to have more sex. We could do nothing and let the world go on as it is, but we would be in the same situation that we are in now, or worse.

We must pledge to work with other countries, and uphold our word, to eliminate drugs and drug usage. If that means substituting other crops for coca and poppy's, then we must. As long as coca and poppy's are bringing in cash for the growers to feed their families and sustain their lives, then that is what they are going to do. It is a way of life for many of those people just as tobacco farming is or was here.

Learn more about this author, John S Willard Jr.
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