"August 28, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that the latest opium poppy crop in Afghanistan will yield an amazing 8,200 tons of opium -- an increase of some 2,000 tons on the previous crop.
The country's surging drug output appears not to be destined for the markets of Europe and North America, but instead for Afghanistan's neighbors. Observers warn that the trend threatens to pull neighboring states into the vicious cycle of drug dependence."
So now, the Afghan opium is not even going to Europe, but to Afghan neighboring states.
Get your facts right before you print such a ridiculous article in the leftist organ named the Red Star.
Taylor Owen
· 2 years ago
Opium, like oil, is a resource, which trades, and is thus distributed, on an international 'market'. Flooding a market with a resource has direct implications for all that consume the resource, not just those that literally consume the batch of the export in question. Purity of the heroin in Vancouver has increased since the boom in Afghan production. The two are linked.
We have to look in the mirror, at the demand side of this problem, rather than blaming, and prosecuting, the impoverished farmers feeding our addictions.
David Eaves
· 2 years ago
Fred,
Thank you for your comment. I would like to direct you back to the link you posted. It actually links Afghanistan opium directly to markets like Vancouver.
About 10 lines later:
"Afghanistan is now the source of some 95 percent of the opiates reaching the big world markets, meaning mainly North America and Europe."
Your selectively pulled quote is not in reference to Afghan opium generally, but to the increased production of the last few months. Afghanistan already supplies North America with all the Opium it needs. It is the newer excess production that is going to Asia - not the entire crop.
While I understand that you don't agree with us, the charge of lying and/or misleading the public is a serious one. Please make sure you read the entire article you cite before making such a claim.
AC
· 1 year ago
Fred, who's the real liar here? Vancouver's safe injection site (InSite) is not a government run operation to do drugs, nor does it involve paying anybody to do drugs. InSite is a government run facility where IV drug addicts can come use clean gear in a safe environment. The safe injection site has been proven to cut down on the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases related to needle-sharing, and has cut down on the amount of fatal overdoses. It also helps to keep addicts from shooting up in the streets and leaving needles lying around. InSite has been nothing but beneficial for Vancouver's East Downtown, and there's reliable evidence to back that statement up. How about you actually use your head and think next time before spewing a bunch of crap about something you obviously know nothing about.
Indeed the government needs to recognise this reality and do more in Canada to show people they are funding terrorism by supplying opium. Opiate addiction is very nasty, I can only hope more progress will eventually be made in Afghanistan. If those supplying opium to people on the streets could be encouraged to help the government cut of the supply and help track down the suppliers it could really change this battle.
Alexandra
· 1 year ago
Drugs and terrorism are and will always be linked. It’s such a shame to see the government standing aside and not do anything specific about it! They don’t even finance drug rehabs or any other help for the addicts. Somehow I think that drug on the street doesn’t found only the terrorism, but the government as well.
theblackbird
· 6 months ago
Hey Fred,
Afghanistan now produces more than 90% of the worlds opium supply. In the year 2000, Afghanistan exported 450 tonnes of opium. In 2007, after six years of allied occupation, that number rose - as we have read here - to 8200 tonnes. If you believe that the massive amount of opium that feeds Canadian addicts' habits doesn't come from Afghanistan when we've been over there fighting in the toughest areas, you need a reality check.
All Comments
The opium from Afghanistan DOES NOT come to Canada.
You should have known that.
It goes to Europe.
Why would you lie?
The heroin that comes to Canada is RED TAR from Mexico and south America.
Again, WHY WOULD YOU LIE IN YOUR ARTICLE.
There is no CONNECTION between Afghan opium and Canada.
Please learn the facts before you spew your leftist rhetoric.
The safe injection site is government run operation to do drugs.
The government should not be paying people to do drugs.
Period.
Here is the link.
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/08/f5...
Here is a quote for ya.
"August 28, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that the latest opium poppy crop in Afghanistan will yield an amazing 8,200 tons of opium -- an increase of some 2,000 tons on the previous crop.
The country's surging drug output appears not to be destined for the markets of Europe and North America, but instead for Afghanistan's neighbors. Observers warn that the trend threatens to pull neighboring states into the vicious cycle of drug dependence."
So now, the Afghan opium is not even going to Europe, but to Afghan neighboring states.
Get your facts right before you print such a ridiculous article in the leftist organ named the Red Star.
We have to look in the mirror, at the demand side of this problem, rather than blaming, and prosecuting, the impoverished farmers feeding our addictions.
Thank you for your comment. I would like to direct you back to the link you posted. It actually links Afghanistan opium directly to markets like Vancouver.
About 10 lines later:
"Afghanistan is now the source of some 95 percent of the opiates reaching the big world markets, meaning mainly North America and Europe."
Your selectively pulled quote is not in reference to Afghan opium generally, but to the increased production of the last few months. Afghanistan already supplies North America with all the Opium it needs. It is the newer excess production that is going to Asia - not the entire crop.
While I understand that you don't agree with us, the charge of lying and/or misleading the public is a serious one. Please make sure you read the entire article you cite before making such a claim.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackbird_hollow/2...
Afghanistan now produces more than 90% of the worlds opium supply. In the year 2000, Afghanistan exported 450 tonnes of opium. In 2007, after six years of allied occupation, that number rose - as we have read here - to 8200 tonnes. If you believe that the massive amount of opium that feeds Canadian addicts' habits doesn't come from Afghanistan when we've been over there fighting in the toughest areas, you need a reality check.