Taliban ends opium production, West complains.

AFGHANISTAN  PRODUCES 90%  OF WORLD'S OPIUM

PRODUCTION SOARED UNDER U.S. OCCUPATION

The Taliban in Afghanistan have begun the elimination of the cultivation of Opium poppies in the country. When the Taliban was previously in power they had all but ended the cultivation and production of opium. All natural opioids, heroin, morphine etc. are produced from opium.

Afghanistan, now under Islamic rule, forbids drug use and enforces these rules with severe penalties. It is expected they will essentially end opium production in their country. Afghanistan also has a drug problem with an estimated 10% of the population addicted to opium. 

During the 20 year occupation of the country by the United States, opium production became very prevalent. It will now be a severe economic reality by ending the production quickly.

Western countries have all voiced their objections, claiming that a shortage of opiates will encourage users to use more Fentanyl and cause more overdose deaths. They also voice their concern about economic hardship placed on the poor farmers of Afghanistan.

While this may be a cyncial argument, the reality is this will cause serious repercussions in the western world, were opiate addiction is now at a high level. The rates of crime have been relatively low since the low priced availability of opiates. The availability will now decrease and the price will soar, this will lead to the increase in crime to maintain their drug use. It is also true that there seems to be an unlimited availability of fentanyl which is a cheap and powerful alterative.

Criticizing the Taliban for acting in the best interest of their country and population is not the remedy to western drug addiction. Maybe it is time that western leaders take another look at their own problem and begin dealing with the causes of drug addiction and consider what the future drug repercussions will be of the governments new policies of encouraging drug use. Drug use has been encouraged by Hollywood and other social media. Government now believes they can reap revenue by legalizing many drugs. It is an unproven experiment, and the danger to legalization, is in effect government endorsement. We no longer see much government action and messaging against drug use. No more, "just say no" or "this is your brain on drugs" adds. 

While the war on drugs has been a failure, much of it to do, I suspect, with the corruption of many officials with cartel money. The encouragement and lack of real science in the long term mental health of the country has not been a government priority.