Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

Opium cultivation shrunk by 80 percent under Taliban: The Spectator

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Spectator
  • 20 Jun 2023 13:10
2 Min Read

Afghanistan once supplied 82 percent of the world's opium.

  • x
  • Taliban eradicate a poppy field in Washir, district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sunday, May 29, 2022 (AP Photo/Abdul Khaliq)
    Taliban eradicate a poppy field in Washir, district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sunday, May 29, 2022 (AP Photo/Abdul Khaliq)

A report by Niko Vorobyov for The Spectator details the drastic changes that are taking place in the narcotic industry amid the Taliban's efforts to phase out the illicit narcotics trade, particularly with regard to the production of morphine and opium-related products. 

According to the report, it took only one year for the Taliban to eradicate about 80 percent of opium cultivation, something which the UK and the US were both either unable or unwilling to fulfill when troops occupied the country.

"They sure showed us up," Vorobyov writes. "In 2001, Tony Blair said stopping Afghan heroin from reaching British shores was one of the main reasons for sending in troops to oust the Taliban."

"The Taliban, it seems, achieved what two decades of our occupation could not," he adds.

Read more: Combating fentanyl needs global strategy similar to COVID's: US envoy

As Afghanistan once supplied 82 percent of the world's opium, does that mean that there will be fewer drugs will be circulating in the market, he asks?

The obvious answer is no. Research has shown us that when one supplier is eliminated, another will quickly fill the shoes, and oftentimes the quality or strength is unknown -- leading to higher instances of drug overdoses. 

Moreover, the drug trafficking of narcotics was strategic in disrupting communities that were anti-Status Quo, such as Black resistance movements in the US during the 1960s, or the hippies who voiced their opposition against the Vietnam War.

The Taliban attempted to implement rehabilitation programs via "prison-like detox centers," but the attempt apparently failed as addicts returned to the streets. 

With less morphine being produced, traffickers are opting for the production of stronger and more lethal alternatives, such as fentanyl or tranq dope. 

Besides having a strong potential for dependency and abuse, the production of these new drugs involves fewer risks as they get to be produced synthetically in labs.

In sum, the Taliban's crackdown on poppy farmers may soon aggravate the drug crisis, and cause more harm than good to the West. 

Read more: Zombie drug 'tranq' sending US down another dark path

  • opium
  • Afghanistan
  • Taliban
  • Heroin

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Elon Musk calls for dissolving UK parliament at London far-right rally

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas
Politics

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan
Politics

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor
Politics

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS