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In March, the United Nations said that Afghanistan had become the world's top cannabis supplier, and that the crops help fund the insurgency, according to Reuters:
One of the main reasons cannabis is so widely grown, UNODC said, is because of its low labor costs and high returns. Three times cheaper to cultivate than opium, the net income from a hectare of cannabis is $3,341 compared to $2,005 for opium.
"The entire process is a non-expensive, fast industrial process, which is indeed somewhat worrying," Jean-Luc Lemahieu, head of UNODC in Afghanistan, told reporters in Kabul.
"We have already enough problems with the opium so we don't want to see the cannabis taking over."
Ironically, this soldier's Canadian homeland has also attracted attention from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, as a world leader in per capita marijuana consumption. According to a June, 2009 article from the CBC:
In its 2007 report, the UN found that Canada led the industrialized world in marijuana use, at least when calculated as a percentage of population.
In its 2009 report, Canada is cited as the leading supplier of ecstasy in North America as well as a major producer and shipper of methamphetamine for markets around the world. The report cites the growing influence of gangs — Asian gangs on the West Coast and outlaw motorcycle gangs in central Canada.
The report says the Canadian-based trade in methamphetamine has grown so much since 2003 that by 2007, 83 per cent of all methamphetamine seized in Australia came from Canada. In Japan, the figure was 62 per cent.
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Great, so Afghanistan is the new drug capital of the world?
When the Taliban was in power they killed drug growers. Now that they're out, they rely on the drug growers for money. What would the Prophet say (peace be upon him) about such hypocrisy? Probably not the following:
"Derka derka, smoke and get high!"
The Taliban could not stop the growing of marijuana and poppies for heroin either. Death penalties are overrated in effectiveness.
"We have already enough problems with the opium so we don't want to see the cannabis taking over."
Seriously? Cannabis is far less lethal and life destructive as opium. Not advocating it's usage but just stating my personal observations here.
Exactly what I came here to say. Who wouldn't want cannabis to replace opium?
Of course, better still would be to legalize cannabis in the USA, and get our own farmers in on the profits, but I suppose it's still far more lucrative to keep it illegal, at least for those in charge of drug policy.
Not sure why you wouldn't want to replace opium with cannabis. Isn't cannabis less harmful?
Basically, marijuana is harmless. Opium is very addictive. But no matter, all should be legal. Our responsibility as a people is to educate the young truthfully about the risks they face in the future. We have lied to our kids for at least 75 years regarding pot. Time to stop.
There is a simple solution: Legalize this useful plant and the black market will disappear overnight.
How useful is cannabis? The seeds can be used as food since they are high in protein and essential fatty acids; the fibres can be used for paper making, since an acre of cannabis provides four times as much pulp as an acre of trees; and the resin of the plant is a source of multipurpose medication for a large number of illnesses.
Go to Google Video and watch: "Run From The Cure - The Rick Simpson Story".
Prepare to be astounded.
Balls-on my friend:
Now there's a cash crop for Afghanistan... get rid of the opium. The line of crap we've been handed for the past 40 years about pot leading to nothing but crime and misery is B as in B and S as in S. The market for pot in all its forms is enormous. Maybe the Taliban would spend more time getting high, eating and laughing that they wouldn't want to kill and maim.
www.hempstersthemovie.com
Nothing is true. Everything is permitted
Everything is true. Nothing is permitted
Saying attributed to the Old Man of the Mountain leader of the assassins, the Hasishin.
As a combat verteran of Viet Nam I know this is true, "What you do, you become"
That is some mighty purty pot there, soldier. Now y'all better just leave it be, and go on about your business.
He's from Canada. This is nothing new to him. Canada has had sensible marijuana laws for years. The United States has a long way to go.
We should be supporting this change in crop choice. Now, the meth out of Canada is the real problem here.
How come none of those plants have any buds??? Better check his pockets ;-)
So, what's the problem, again?
The problem is the balance of trade. We need those crops here in the USA!
So Dave what are you saying? That we NEED heroin. We could grow enough opium poppy in THIS country to supply the people who need it for pain managment. All that extra tonage is used to make heroin.
hell ya .so i wont have to say 1quarter of afghan cush N E MORE......1QUARTER AMERICUSH PLEEZ YAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;]
Um... If that's a question, and you're asking whether I'm saying it's the opium crop we need in the U.S., no. I'm saying it's the cannabis crop we need in the U.S. G-bunch-of-numbers seemed to be asking what the problem was with the Afghans replacing opium with cannabis. My response was that it shouldn't be them making a fortune from the cannabis; it should be us.
Should be a legal crop. Prohibition doesn't work. Never has.
This is absolutely insane! We should be growing this crop and making the money. We not only build their schools and hospitals, and fight off their religious extremists, but provide a nice over-priced market for their crop of easy to grow marijuana. We do so many stupid things that surely nature will put at end to us.
I really hate the way the press demonizes Marijuana by clumping it together with opium, methamphetamine, Cocaine, etc...., all in the same breath. Anyone who has ever used marijuana knows to compare it with other drugs is the same as saying rock is the same as water.
Not even the same breath; the same word: DRUGS. It doesn't matter which "drugs" it is; they're all equal.
Now why did the image just pop into my mind of an old SNL skit where - was it Dan Aykroyd? - carefully rolls a joint and then tries to jam it into a vein...?
Dave is probably a republican christian right-winger too.
Dude. If you are a dude, little-m. I was agreeing with King Art that the media should not lump all drugs together, and pointing out that it's not just done in the same breath; it's done in the same word. You've got me all wrong, brotha. There's no way I'm any more a fan of Republican Christian right-wingers than you are.
It sounds to me like they prefer that these people should grow opium as opposed to pot. For every pot plant that exists in that country. Then thats one opium poppy plant that does not exist.If they stopped growing opium and started growing pot the world would be a little safer for us all.
The problem is not the Cannabis, but the money generated from its sale is suppling weapons and troops who want to do harm and damage to any others that do not believe in the same beliefs as their own.
The prohibition of marijuana needs to end now. We spend millions incarcerating our fellow countryman over possessing a weed that grows anywhere. It's time we tax cannabis and stop giving all of our profits to terrorists and cartels; we need to start thinking pragmatically. We are talking job creation, millions in tax revenue, tourism, money saved from law enforcement, and even the local candy stores. You cannot arrest the desire of human beings, prohibition of alcohol proved this
THAT'S why they won't legalize it. They can't tax it. How do you tax something anyone can grow in their backyard?
Cannabis smoking cannot be worse than the health perils of smoking cigarettes, which are addictive.
And it cannot be worse as a mind altering and people killing drug, than alcohol already is; which is addictive.
I don't know about legalizing cannabis, though, to be grown by anyone who chooses to. Because --
Legalizing alcohol did not erase it's illegal use and destructive powers, such as drinking and driving by young and old, and illegal drinking by minors.
That being said, if it makes it to the US anyway, and people use it anyway, then it should be grown here in the US so that the US growers can profit, not Mexico, Pakistan, Afghanistan, South America, Canada, etc.
The things you mention are still illegal. Alcohol is a far more destructive drug than pot. By having marijuana use illegal we only promote opportunities for the criminal class.
Legalizing alcohol did drastically cut down on many harmful behaviors. Alcohol addiction soared during prohibition, and taking distribution out of the hands of regulated industries and putting it in the hands of criminals always guarantees that more of it will find its way into the hands of kids. There's a great line from the movie Traffic, in which a high-schooler explains that she does illegal drugs because alcohol, being legal, is too hard to get.
There's nothing wrong with marijuana. People shouldn't knock it, till they have tried it. people are so quick to say that pot is bad, when they ought to get their facts straight. Pot is good for a lot of things, including pain. I've been smoking pot for forty years and I will continue till, I'm six feet under. I don't see how our government can say it's illegal. They didn't out it here. They ought to mind their business, and worry about the problems this country is facing. If pot were legal, this country wouldn't have a deficit and we would be able to open up all the schools that have closed. There are a lot of positive views about pot, but this stupid country can't see it. Look at all the money, this country could make. Each state would make their quota in money revenue. Just legalize marijuana and leave us pot heads alone. If someone gets busted with pot, in some states, they throw the book at them. They do more time, than someone who kills someone, so get your act together, America, and see what legalizing marijuana could do for this country.
pleeze the government is still profiting without all these drugs being legal! taxation without representation. its not just in the movies
It seems like Americans excel at the art of buying ammo for our enemys.Legalize Cannabis
Cannabis is a naturally growing herb that the Creator gave us to use in our worship of Him. It was used to make the Holy Oil (usually translated as Calamus) which, in turn, was probably used to make the Holy Incense as well as to light the Holy Menorah.
That's probably why certain people hate it so much...
Sorry but that's blatently not true. Calamus is a plant in and of itself, often called Sweet Flag as well. It is an aquatic, rizome plant that can be used in a million or so different ways, but it's sure not pot :)
Alpha One, roger that, Field of Dreams located, over......
If marijuana was legalized the Afghans wouldn't be turning nearly so much of a profit and they would have lots of competition from Phillip Morris and others here in the good ole U.S. of A. The government could tax it and pay for Education, Health Care or well... pick your particular cause. We wouldn't have to spend so much fighting the ever so hopeless "War on Drugs". We'd have fewer people in our ever more crowded prisons. People who are basically good citizens wouldn't be in fear that they would lose everything plus gain a criminal record for recreational use of a drug that's closer to alcohol than opium or cocaine...is there really a downside to legalization of pot?
It means poor farmers in Afghanistan are not growing crops to feed their families and communities but are being forced to supply outsiders with a crop that has a huge demand. It is being smuggled out of their country. They are not getting to build resources from the revenues. And it takes too much water to grow marijuana, so their water resources are being exploited.
I agree it should be a choice. But our country pumps us through their pharmaceutical pals and allows the poor and uneducated to become subject to the “illegal” drug trade, 24/7. The powers that be are scattered around the globe and the rest of us are at their “whim.” It’s a control thing, folks.
And we cannot continue to compare “smoking pot” to other substances. Each drug has its own particular effects. Alcohol kills brain cells and destroys the liver. Have you studied the effects of each type of drug and the long and short term effects of each, on the human brain and body?
You say no long term brain damage. Hmm, so you do not consider losing a few brain synapses here and there, bad? Over the years, slowly losing the ability of neurons to fire, sending information through these synapses, or perhaps retrieve information, you do not consider this a negative? Good brain function a negative. So you had rather just smoke your way into dementia? Until we fully understand the effects of anything we inhale, drink, or ingest, in any form, we are only fooling ourselves.
The US is already decades behind in our own new scientists, discoveries, and mathematical whiz kids. Hell, who cares, just roll one up dud! This country is teaching other countries children and young adults, and they are going back to their homelands. Damn, just give me that crack pipe and “@^*)” it ,who cares!
It takes legislation to make things happen, but as a people, we do not take that process very seriously. Too many are too busy with IPODS, Blackberries, “tweeting”, going to the club or vegetating in front of the TV.
Your understanding of the human brain is well rounded. Your understanding of the affects of pot are a little off. THC the psychoactive element of weed, bonds to fat in the body. Thats why it stays in your system for so long and poeple who haven't used in months could still test positive because their body just happened to cunsume that fat and released the THC bonded to it. The biggest piece of fat in the human body is the brain. THC bonds to the synapses and in turn blocks neurons from firing or being recepted. This is not perment, because the body slowly removes the toxins. So if we only use 10% percent of are brain that leaves the rest for rerouting, which we know is good for the brain.
I like how a carefully positioned leaf is hiding his smile :)