Blog #3 Afghanistan the world’s top grower of opium poppy

Terrorism and drugs trafficking are they link together? Can drug trafficking fund terrorism? The world’s major grower of opium poppy that is the country of Afghanistan does fund terrorism. It has being reported that since September 11, 2001 attacks there are links between Afghan drug trafficking, terrorism and other radical Islamic movements (1). For this reason there have being major changes in how to deal with such worldwide problem. The problem does not just include drug addicts but also this is the major terrorism funding. The major growing field of opium poppy in Afghanistan contributes the terrorist groups such as the Taliban economically. Therefore, something must be done to stop this illicit business that is harming thousands of people in the world. For this reason the Afghan law enforcement task forced have led to various raids on opium laboratories as a start of the war on drugs in this country (2).

The United States and the United Nations (UN), are working together to end the drug trafficking in Afghanistan by destroying the opium poppy fields. Richard Holbrooke, the special adviser of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and who is working under the President of the United States Barack Obama and United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that [they] will not target the Afghan farmers, but the Taliban who buy their crops (3). As for right now the war on drug trafficking in this country is not going well. According to Antonio Maria Costa, the UN drug chief, said “Eradication efforts were seen as inefficient because too little was being destroy at too high cost (3).” There must be a better way of combating this major problem. Afghanistan is the world’s leading source of opium cultivating 93% of the world’s heroin. Nonetheless, the opium cultivation fell 19% in 2008, but with an estimated gain of $50 million to $70 million that went to the Taliban terrorist group this is according to the UN drug office. The key Afghan opium figures are the following; In the year 2007 there was about 193,000 hectares of opium, by the year 2008 the number dropped to 157,000 hectares with the help of the US and UN forces. Since the year 2007 the number of opium free providences has increased almost 50%. About 98% of all opium is grown in only seven providences in the south west, which is known that the Taliban are settled in those places. In year 2008, Helmand providence in the South, cultivated 103,000 hectares. This is two thirds of all opium cultivated in Afghanistan. In 2007, 19,047 hectares of opium was eradicated and in 2008 only 5,480 this according to the UN office on drugs and crime (3).

Afghanistan is major contributor to the worlds drug trafficking, the fighting is continuing but there has to be major changes and major strategies to win this war on drugs in this country. Since it is known the Taliban a terrorist group is a major beneficiary in the growing and cultivating opium poppy; the United States and the UN have to continue fighting this war before many lives are lost trough drug addiction or terrorist attacks.






1-Walker , J. (2005). Beyond terrorism: The real impact of Afghan drugs trafficking on northern neighbours. Drugs and Alcohol Today. Vol. 5, lss. 3; pg. 39, 3pgs.

2-Anonymous. (2004). Afghan raiod opium processing labs. Narcotics Enforcement and Prevention Digest. Vol. 10, lss. 18; pg. 5, 1pgs

3-http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/06/200962815525664398.html