Pubdate: Fri, 17 June 2002
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Fred Polvere

To the Editor:

Re "Restructuring for Security," by Warren Rudman and Gary Hart (Op-Ed, 
June 13): If all the disparate agencies in this new Homeland Security 
Department - Border Patrol, Customs Service, Coast Guard and so on - are to 
focus on fighting terrorists, does this mean we have conceded the war on drugs?

In 1968, we spent $60 million fighting drugs; now we spend upward of $20 
billion. Yet drugs are readily available and the street cost of drugs has 
remained more or less constant. Possibly, focusing on terrorism will mean 
that the government will spend its limited drug money on prevention and 
treatment, which even Richard M. Nixon recognized as the only way to win 
the war on drugs.

FRED POLVERE

Yonkers, June 13, 2002
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