DRUG DEATH FIGURE LOWER

I don't know where Sandra S. Bennett got her figure, that every year
we lose 50,000 Americans to illicit drugs, as she stated in her Oct.
12 letter, "Battle illicit drugs." According to
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/causes.htm there are 17,000 deaths from all
illegal drug use combined, direct and indirect. No doubt that 17,000 illegal
drug deaths are tragic, but this pales in comparison to the 435,000 deaths
from tobacco use or the 365,000 deaths from poor diets or physical
inactivity.

Speaking of poor diets, notice that we have no illegal foods, even
though many foods are very dangerous, especially if consumed in large
portions over several years. Perhaps we should criminalize a long list
of potentially unhealthy foods for our own good, of course.

Think of all the government jobs this would create.

No doubt unhealthy food prohibition would be just as successful as our
alcohol and drug prohibition policies have been.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.