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| Afghanistan |
| Afghanistan Biggest Drug Producer in 2010 |
| 2011-01-03 |
| [Tolo News] Afghanistan had the biggest production of drugs in 2010 all across the world, Afghan Counter-narcotics Ministry said on Sunday. While describing last year gains of the ministry as small, Counter-narcotics Ministry said around 85% of world's drug was produced by Afghanistan. Counter-narcotics Ministry warned if international community refuses to help Afghanistan in the fight against drugs in 2011, regional countries and even the whole world would face serious drug-related problems. The ministry said drug prices have increased by three percent, which could persuade farmers to grow poppy instead of saffron or anything else. International community aid to anti-drug efforts of the ministry was not sufficient in 2010 and if the aid still continues the same in 2011, most farmers would turn to drugs, the ministry said. "Producing more than 85% of world's opium, Afghanistan had the highest rates of drugs production last year," Mohammad Ebrahim Azhar, planning and financial deputy to the ministry said. Lack of facilities in the ministry to implement its anti-drug programmes is called the only challenge facing the ministry. It is believed that development programmes in Afghanistan can hardly be implemented when there is an increase in poppy cultivation in the country. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Didn't Russia recently send in a team -- with Coalition permission, just to destroy some opium warehouses in Taliban territory? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-01-03 22:08 |
| #2 Most Afghan opium goes to Europe or the Middle East. It's a problem no matter where it goes, and needs to be at least reduced if not crushed altogether. Ninety percent of the Taliban funding comes from opium. Ending opium cultivation would go a long way toward hurting the Taliban and their allies. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2011-01-03 15:00 |
| #1 well at least they are no. 1 at something. Who cares if someone is gonna go hardcore and use opium or heroine then they are going too anyway. I would rather it be grown there than right acroos the border where it would have even easier access to our market. |
| Posted by: chris 2011-01-03 12:13 |