| The worldwide illicit drugs business is by far the most | | | | citizens rarely used the drugs personally. Today, |
| profitable illicit global trade, says the United Nations | | | | according to UN reports, thousands of Afghani's are |
| Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), earning some | | | | abusing the drugs and becoming addicted, and |
| $320 billion annually. Compared to this, human | | | | desperately need drug rehab. But the country doesn't |
| trafficking at $32 billion and illegal firearms at $1 billion | | | | have the necessary infrastructure to support drug |
| are a drop in the bucket. Afghanistan, producing 92% | | | | rehab facilities. As for solutions, the U.S. is pushing for |
| of the world's illegal opium from its miles and miles of | | | | crop spraying and destruction. But thousands of |
| poppy farms, is by far the world's largest contributor to | | | | farmers will be out of work and penniless. Replacing |
| the production of illicit heroin and morphine. For millions | | | | poppies with other crops won't work because there's |
| of addicts around the world, the dark force from | | | | no distribution system for exporting produce. Others |
| Afghanistan that rules their lives can only be overcome | | | | are suggesting the opium trade be legitimized and |
| through drug rehab. Not surprisingly, no one has come | | | | production redirected for medicines. But the health |
| up with a workable idea on how to stop it. The | | | | industry won't pay street prices to drug barons, so that |
| problem is that the chain of "narcodollars" reaches | | | | probably won't fly. Meanwhile, here in America we |
| from the poppy farms all the way to the highest levels | | | | continue to deal with street drug crime and lives being |
| of Afghanistan's government, with the Taliban | | | | ruined through opiate addiction. Until a solution is found |
| insurgents in the mix in a very big way. At $3.1 billion, | | | | to stop the supplies of drugs from around the world, |
| the opium trade is the equivalent of a third of the | | | | we can try to prevent addiction by our own example |
| country's total economy. Last year's 6,100 tons of | | | | and through effective education. And we must care |
| opium was worth $60 billion at street prices, and this | | | | for those who suffer addiction with successful drug |
| year an even larger crop is expected. As well as | | | | rehab programs that really work. |
| keeping the drug barons rich, the drug trade has | | | | Addiction Help Services offers successful drug rehab |
| affected Afghanistan's citizenry in an unexpected and | | | | programs and drug rehab programs. |
| very negative way. Historically, poppy farmers and | | | | |