Numbers

  • 2 million Number of civilians in Colombia displaced by violence arising from drug trafficking and guerrilla warfare, the largest human-rights crisis in the western hemisphere, according to the U.N.

    $2.5 billion Cost of Plan Colombia, a four-year-old U.S. aid package to support that nation's antidrug campaign

    127,677 Number of prisoners in the U.S. serving life sentences — up 83% since 1992, an increase attributed to stricter sentencing laws

    $2.5 billion Cumulative lifetime cost of housing these prisoners

    $430 million Settlement to be paid by Pfizer for marketing Neurontin, an epilepsy drug, for uses not approved by the FDA

    $2.7 billion Proceeds from sales of the drug last year

    90% Estimated proportion of sales unrelated to epilepsy

    200 million Number of people expected to fly in the U.S. this summer, the most since 9/11

    45 min. Average wait during peak hours in security lines at 10 of the busiest airports

    Sources: New York Times; AP; The Sentencing Project (2); New York Times (3); Air Transport Association (2)