Posted on 03/02/2008 11:02:47 AM PST by gandalftb
Villagers in remote areas of Badakhshan Province, north-eastern Afghanistan, have been using opium as a substitute for medicine for years. They are oblivious to the harm it can do to their health.
There is no official data about the number of drug addicts in Badakhshan. However, the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) says one million people are addicted to drugs there, 45,000 of whom are women.
This video short shows a women’s opium smoking session in the village of Jukhan, tucked away in mountainous Badakhshan. While efforts are being made to rehabilitate drug addicts in the village, Bibi Mulla, her relatives and friends smoke opium at home and give it to their children up to three times a day.
(Excerpt) Read more at irinnews.org ...
It is important that we see the depth of the peoples we choose to bring democracy to and how important opium/heroin/morphine is to them.
Last year was a world record harvest of poppies, this year, planting is up 30%+.
War is economics, AQ and the Taliban no longer need outside funding, they rely almost totally on the opiate INDUSTRY.
One could say that they rely on the illegality to bring in money. That is what drives cost/crime up. I don’t think it should be completely legal but prohibition does not work.
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I’m not sure what’s so disturbing about that video? Better than explosive belts on toddlers. You need to have more respect for the cultures and traditions of other societies. I’m sure there’s a kid down the street from you in good o’l USA who’s huffing glue right now. Time better spent and all........
http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/AFG07_ExSum_web.pdf
While at the same time it says one million people are addicted to opiates there.
If it weren't so tragic it would be laughable.
Anything to escape their lives of servitude.
Our kids and us adults getting high here in America aren't buying from bin Laden and Mullah Omar so they can wage holy war against us. Whether you die by suicide belts or intoxication, dead is dead.
Prohibition doesn't work, our prohibition puts jihadists and Mexican/Latin cartels and meth. factories in China, and our government employees at state run liquor stores, etc. in business.
Legalizing sin means taxing and controlling. No better example than government lotteries and gaming commissions that legalize gambling.
Leave them alone.
We cannot help the whole world.
They do not want our help.
Let them live their miserable lives
without interference.
I don’t think they are neglecting infrastructure needs for fun. They do it for profit. Making a plant illegal is near the top of human arrogance IMO.
At least not to the Taliban - they are the only province that never fell under Taliban rule ...
The non-elite Afghan people do want our help. The problem is all the billions of dollars of aid never makes it to them.
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