Pubdate: Wed 07/28 1999
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 1999 St. Petersburg Times
Contact:  http://www.sptimes.com/
Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Interact.html
Author:  Eric Soyke, St. Petersburg

PLAYING GOD WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

I am dismayed at the proposal being discussed by the state of Florida's
drug czar, Jim McDonough, to spread an experimental fungus throughout the
Florida wilderness in an effort to eradicate pot. I find it difficult to
believe that governments still believe themselves capable of playing God
with the ecosystem in this day and age.

This state's record of outstanding failures in this arena (kudzu and
melaleuca are the most well known) should be argument enough, but there are
even more reasons why this would be a colossal waste of taxpayer funds and
an even bigger threat to our environment. As soon as any threat to growers
became imminent, growers would simply move indoors and pay $2 for a bag of
planting soil. Or -- wait -- does McDonough have a plan on the drawing
board to treat our water?

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