How has Americas involvement in Afghanistan affected Opium production?

Question

Just curious

You people do realize that opium is not obsolete, Heroin is a derivative of opium and 7 billion dollars worth of opium is produced a year, 80% of that is produced in Afghanistan.

Answer 1

Well Leon, I thought you had ran into a rough crowd down in Mexico.

Fair question. Unfortunately the answer is not enough. The US has helped and pushed the Afghani government for a counter drug program.

The Taliban sees it as an important source of funding and poisoning of the west. Did so during their own running of the country as well.

The problem is corruption. "Warlords" became politicians and powerlords. Police chiefs became warlords. They all became druglords. Fighting the drug war in Afghanistan is as difficult as fighting it in Colombia and in the US.

The Europeans should be much more interested in this issue than are we. Most of Afghani poppy goes there, whereas most of ours comes from Colombia and surrounds.

Answer 2

The Taliban kept opium production to a minimum because they wouldn't allow the cultivation of poppies. Since the USA took the Taliban out of power, opium production has sky rocketed and heroin use is at an all time high in the USA.

Answer 3

Probably eliminated it, but I have a contact there, so I'll let you know!.........Just kidding!!!!!