Numbers: May 24, 2004

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...

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