Letter to the Editor

Well, if the NYT won't publish my letter on the Afghanistan/Narco-State article then I'll do it myself! :)

Dear Sir:

Thomas Schweich's assertion that eradication must at all counts be pursued is flawed (Is Afghanistan a Narco-State?, July 27, 2008). There is a middle way to the poppy problem: pay farmers to grow the crop and turn the harvest into much-needed pain medication.

When more than 80% of the world's cancer patients and more than half of those with HIV/AIDS suffer severe pain but can not access drugs to ease their pain, to destroy crops with medicinal value is an enormous missed opportunity. By directing a portion of the funds now directed to eradication, the U.S. and its allies could help the Afghan government channel the crop into legitimate uses and be seen as a force for development instead of livelihood destruction.

This isn't a new idea. Turkey's government also refused eradication requests made by the U.S. in the 1970's and the two countries brokered an agreement that permitted the cultivation of poppy crops for medicine. The result? Millions of dollars each year to Turkish poppy farmers and 80% of the U.S. supply of poppy for medicine. Afghanistan's poppy problem requires creative solutions based in human rights and development, not military enforcement.

Alicia Meulensteen, New York, NY