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Stephen A. Maisto
More books by Stephen A. Maisto…
“Poppies in Afghanistan: The Taliban
and the Heroin Trade
Harvesting opium in Afghanistan
Ghaffar Baig/ Reuters/Corbis
Most Americans knew little about Afghanistan or
the Taliban prior to September 11, 2001, but those
who follow the heroin trade have focused on
Afghanistan for decades. Afghanistan has long been
a major area of opium production, but the “golden
triangle” of Southeast Asia (Burma, Laos, and
Thailand) historically dominated opium production.
By 1999, though, Afghanistan had become the
undisputed world leader in opium production
despite being an Islamic state ruled by the Taliban,
which publicly opposed opium use. In 1999, the
Taliban representative to the United States, Abdul
Hakeem Mujahid, said, “We are against poppy
cultivation, narcotics production and drugs, but we
cannot fight our own people” (Bartolet & Levine,
2001, p. 85). Even before 9/11, the United States
accused the Taliban of profiting from opium and
heroin production, and using those profits to fund
terrorist activities. Under pressure from the United
Nations, the Taliban announced bans on poppy
cultivation in 1997, 1998, and 2000, but there was
little evidence of any decreased production. In 2001,
though, a ban was put into place that apparently
really did reduce poppy production. Cynics have
pointed out that the Taliban was simply trying to
increase prices by temporarily cutting the supply;
whatever the reason, when the Taliban lost control
of Afghanistan, the poppy made a comeback. In this
war-ravaged and economically depressed nation,
growing opium is one of the few ways that farmers
can make a living. Afghan President Hamid Karzai
has urged his people to declare jihad (holy war) on
drug production, but opium farming still accounts
for nearly half of the domestic economy, and
Afghanistan supplies nearly 80% of the world’s
heroin (Office of National Drug Control Policy,
2013). In recent years, opium production has
declined in Afghanistan, but a close relationship
between heroin traffickers and the insurgency
continues to create difficulties for that country’s
reconstruction process (Office of National Drug
Control Policy, 2013).”
― Drug Use and Abuse
and the Heroin Trade
Harvesting opium in Afghanistan
Ghaffar Baig/ Reuters/Corbis
Most Americans knew little about Afghanistan or
the Taliban prior to September 11, 2001, but those
who follow the heroin trade have focused on
Afghanistan for decades. Afghanistan has long been
a major area of opium production, but the “golden
triangle” of Southeast Asia (Burma, Laos, and
Thailand) historically dominated opium production.
By 1999, though, Afghanistan had become the
undisputed world leader in opium production
despite being an Islamic state ruled by the Taliban,
which publicly opposed opium use. In 1999, the
Taliban representative to the United States, Abdul
Hakeem Mujahid, said, “We are against poppy
cultivation, narcotics production and drugs, but we
cannot fight our own people” (Bartolet & Levine,
2001, p. 85). Even before 9/11, the United States
accused the Taliban of profiting from opium and
heroin production, and using those profits to fund
terrorist activities. Under pressure from the United
Nations, the Taliban announced bans on poppy
cultivation in 1997, 1998, and 2000, but there was
little evidence of any decreased production. In 2001,
though, a ban was put into place that apparently
really did reduce poppy production. Cynics have
pointed out that the Taliban was simply trying to
increase prices by temporarily cutting the supply;
whatever the reason, when the Taliban lost control
of Afghanistan, the poppy made a comeback. In this
war-ravaged and economically depressed nation,
growing opium is one of the few ways that farmers
can make a living. Afghan President Hamid Karzai
has urged his people to declare jihad (holy war) on
drug production, but opium farming still accounts
for nearly half of the domestic economy, and
Afghanistan supplies nearly 80% of the world’s
heroin (Office of National Drug Control Policy,
2013). In recent years, opium production has
declined in Afghanistan, but a close relationship
between heroin traffickers and the insurgency
continues to create difficulties for that country’s
reconstruction process (Office of National Drug
Control Policy, 2013).”
― Drug Use and Abuse
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