Maybe the DEA should buy crack from the street dealers so they can regulate it???? Seriously, these people are nuts. (Although opium would be less harmful than many of the painkillers currently being offered by physicians since it has less side effects). The idea should be to get 'LESS' opium and narcotics being used instead of rewarding 'farmers' (also known as drug lords) for growing a deadly and addictive substance. Or, if the Euro-weenies are really, really serious, they should require that the Afghan government buy it and distribute it to their own citizens. That would at least limit the damage.
I'm pretty sure that every criminal of every kind could make the argument that it is costing too much to eradicate their business and that ultimate success is not possible so it should just be purchased by the government instead. Brilliant!!!!
Painkillers used in this country are derived from opium. That is why the idea was put forward. We can have a legitimate economy based on this crop that will help people both in Afghanistan and out of it, or we can make sure that opium is left only to the warlords and terrorists.