UN Survey Sees Early Strides in Afghan War on Drugs

By Simon Cameron-Moore

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan has made strides in its war on narcotics according to a U.N. survey released on Sunday that showed poppy cultivation in most of the main growing areas down on last year's record levels.

And the survey said the ban and threat of eradication were major reasons behind the fall in area under poppy, though higher wheat prices also helped persuade farmers to switch crops.

The opium harvest will begin next month and run through June.


For a description of legal opium production see this Drug Intelligence Brief from the DEA. (scroll down to opium)