We are accustomed to consider Afghanistan the most problematic place in the world in terms of drug production. And this opinion can hardly be disputed. In fact, the production of raw opium (the basis of heroin) is monopolized by this country.
Since the Taliban came to power, its production grew rapidly. And only in 1999-2001, having achieved concessions from the international community, the Taliban banned poppy cultivation, reducing the amount of planting by 80% in just one year.
However, with the beginning of the “anti-terrorist operation” in October of 2001 and the fall of the Taliban that followed it later, this country has again taken the first place in heroin production. During a year, it increased by 1400%! And today, every fifth (!) Afghan is a drug addict.
Well, you have probably guessed that today’s post will be all about Afghan heroin and Afghan junkies…
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There is a myth that the U.S. doesn’t fight against drugs in Afghanistan, but on the contrary, takes great efforts to increase heroin production. Supporters of this idea believe that the Americans do it deliberately to poison Russian people.
However, after careful consideration, it becomes pretty clear that it’s not quite true. The opening of new transit routes and increasing of the efficiency of the Russian Drug Control Service redirected a significant part of the flow of heroin to… the States. So the Americans are trapped. To destroy crops means pushing farmers into the ranks of the Taliban. To leave crops means to poison their own citizens.
According to the UN, in 2005-2009, the number of heroin addicts increased by 140%, and this is only the official figures. According to local residents, 5 out of 25 million Afghan people are addicted.
One of the most popular places for drug addicts’ gatherings is called “under the bridge”.
This place is located under the bridge across the Kabul. Its riverbed has already been used as a dump for a very long time.
Hundreds of drug addicts use heroin among the heaps of rotting and stinking garbage.
One can hardly imagine the more disgusting and repulsive place than this bridge located somewhere on the outskirts of the city. A terrible stench, decomposing wastes, black like oil water…
Though the width of the river is no more than a meter, a sane man will hardly dare to check its depth – this water seems to be able to corrode not only your leg or arm, but a steel rod.
It’s very hard to breathe here. This is partly because of stinking fumes and burning heaps of rubbish, but mainly because of the smoke produced by the so-called “wicks” used for heating heroin (the Afghan know-how).
From time to time, you step on someone’s limbs. Something that seemed a shapeless sack of garbage turns out to be a man, or rather what’s left of him. A covered with yellow skin skull, meaningless hollow eyes, unnaturally slow movements – it’s a zombie! Hollywood directors have apparently been to similar places, as the likeness is incredible.
About 200 people constantly use drugs under this bridge. This place is always crowded at any time of the day. Some addicts have been living here for months.
The “floor” is completely covered with wastes.
Two guys sharing heroin.
The city sewage makes the situation even better.
Even local people close their noses with handkerchiefs. The acrid smell makes your eyes water. It’s hard to imagine how one can possibly live here for months!
Judging by the clothes, this guy hasn’t left this place since winter.
A dose is often shared between friends under such kerchiefs.
Some aesthetes take heroin intravenously, but these are rare exceptions – to get syringes is a big problem.
One more nice feature of this place is a huge number of flies. Look, how gracefully they fly around addicts.
People became drug addicts in lots of different ways.
Some of them are former refugees who tried to hide themselves from the civil war in the camps of Pakistan and Iran and who were hooked on drugs there.
Other ones are the mujahideen who often fought on opposing sides. Recently, they are joined by the people crippled in the current war. These are both soldiers and those who lost all that they had.
And the last group includes the Afghans who went to work to neighboring countries and became there drug addicts. Such people return home only for one reason – to find themselves under the infamous bridge across the Kabul River.
Though actually, every city has the places of mass gatherings of drug addicts. In Kabul, it is the bridge, in Mazar-i-Sharif, it is the city dump.
These caves are too inhabited by addicts.
Only sometimes they leave them in order to steal something or beg for money for the next dose.
A gram of heroin costs about 100 Afghanis. This is about $ 2 or the same as the price of a jar of cold Red Bull. By means of petty theft and begging, addicts manage to collect enough money for a dose. According to one not yet completely degraded junkie, mutual aid is well developed among them. They will never leave a friend in trouble.
Each hole is occupied by a group of drug addicts.
The land around is strewn with cigarette butts and syringes.
Some of them come from neighboring states, where the use of drugs would lead to the death penalty.
Most addicts prefer smoking heroin. They roll a paper into a wick…
Pour the heroin on foil.
I’m amazed at these images and the size of photographers’ balls. Great post indeed! Thanks!
Pretty ironic, Afghans probably throw stones at drug addicts, Jews, Christians, and Americans. lol.
Russian fan is right
Probably a fraction of the USD$432 billion spent by the US Military in Afghanistan, would have helped much more for peace if spent in the Afghans.
The saddest thing I’ve seen all week.
Lights out.
Yep, Sad.
Thats what happens when your country is invaded by USA. At least when USSR was in Afghan, they build houses, bridges, they gave many people good jobs.
True.
Germany and Japan were also invaded by the USA. Now they are rich prosperous countries. Could it be the Afghans culture and religion is as toxic as their heroin?
Germany and Japan were also rich prosperous countries before they were invaded by the USA.
They were rubble after
Japan before invasion was industrialized, but not anywhere near as prosperous as today.Look at our allies, like Korea, and your allies, North Korea, and tell me who has done better? If you were so good to Afghans, why did they throw you out. You schmucks read your propaganda and recite the lies they have been telling you all of your lives.
English Russia.com, not available in RUSSIA because they can’t censor it.
How come I can read? THIS IS PROPAGANDA OMG
Because you’re really not Russian, but Georgian
Yes, Afghan medieval culture is a hard drawback; Japan and Germany were already educated people before WWII. However, the US policy then wanted powerful allies and invested heavily in those countries. Now, Americans only want bases, pipelines, oil and gas. You only need “free”, useless corrupt rulers as “partners” in dirt poor places. This is what you get.
The US is the only one building anything in the entire country for the last 10 years. Maybe if the Russian occupation and the ensuing civil war and Taliban reign of terror hadn’t demolished the entire country there would be something there.
If the soviets, if the british, if the mongols… If what? Just 10 years of “freedom” left a fifth of the population as a junkie, something new and unique. You better start to accept responsibilities of this period, instead of deflecting guilt to others.
Yes they are building pipelines. The rest doesn’t matter at all.
so that’s why ex-soviet republics are now so full of drugs and drug addicts, because of houses?
Ahh…the Soviets also poisoned fresh water wells in Afghanistan so I would not jump on your high horse just yet Tim. And for historian, as for Germany the only people that were prosperous were German industrialists and the uniformed bootlickers that Hitler would throw crumbs to. And as for pre-war Japan, dito.
Give us a source please
A. Bunka here. Yes, just look at how well Soviet allies did after WW@, Poland, East Germany, North Korea, they didn’t do so well, did they. Who did glorious USSr build homes for: commie puppets?
According to Elizabeth Bayer, formerly of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan, she has visited villages in the north of Afghanistan where the entire population is addicted to opium. (Source: TIME).
This is the same UN that appointed Iran to the Human Rights commision. Very reliable source…
The same UN that advised that Iraq had no WMDs. Did you find them?
They like everyone else thought Iraq had them. The Iraqi generals thought they had them. Sadam wanted everyone to think he had them. Dumb move on his part
…”like everyone else thought Iraq had them”… Well, no. Half the world didn’t swallow that bunch of lies. Only you and some gullible people say they did. Try harder next time.
No half the world didn’t. Half the world just pussed out because they were afraid the price of oil would jump. There were countless resolutions condeming Iraq and their actions. Just because that doesn’t fit your dogma, you can’t discount the truth.
You’re imagining things. But most of the world didn’t buy those lies. That’s what they were. So did you find thos WMD’s? Too bad. No dogmas here, except yours.
Your answer just gave more credibility to the UN. Is that all you have?
I’ll stick to UN reports, as most of the world does. You can keep the Yellow Cake BS.
Then you can be misinformed like the rest of the world. Start building your global warming raft now.
@testi, It only seems that the only misinformed puppet, is you. Dis you find the WMD’s?
yes, But not everybody knows that the life in Japan is extremely exhausted and tough although it is a civilized country. Think about nearly 30000 people take suicide due to the high pressure from the work. The population density in Singapore is much higher than Japanese, but the life is not as stressful as Japan since the suicide percentage is much lower than Japan.So the reason of Japanese employers must work as double as American because they must feed both themselves and the parasitic Americans!!!!!So this is the beautiful life they got from America. By the way the young Japanese generations has got too much culture invasion from America that make them dumb and no answer when they are asked to answer questions about Japanese history and literature by the teachers and professors, but meanwhile, they will give you a detailed and correct answer if you ask them about western culture and literature. (These details are from a Japanese university professor)
So these are all the good things which Japanese have gotten from America. When parasitic American splurge money and culture, Japanese must pay hard for the consequence
This really must be hell on earth. It’s such a shame.
Agree. Utterly awful.
Thank you for these awesome pictures!
I question the statistic in the begining. I can not believe that 20% of the entire country is addicted. Also, the US and NATO have strong interdiction programs that spray poopy fields from the air. A 1400% increase seems like a rediculous number.
You should start to question a lot of things. It’s a Human Tragedy out there.
No doubt it is a trajedy when anyone becomes an addict. However, 20% drug addiction in a muslim country is very hard to believe.
According to the UN (UNDOC Study 2010), 8% of the Afghan population suffers some kind of drug addiction. Twice the global average. Heroin addiction jumped 140% in five years. The writer of this post after visiting Kabul says is much more in the city. Not surprising.
Big gap between 8 and 20
Yes, its a big gap. No reliable source to tell 20% addiction in the whole country. But the 8% is a country average. A 20% addiction in Kabul City is reasonable.
8% of drug addiction anywhere is a horrible thing, not a light collateral event. And yes, afghan cities should have more than that obviously, as the shocked author put it.
Fuzzy math
I understand that simple math is a hard thing for you.
No. I just realize that anyone can pull a statistic out of their ass and go on a rant. Perhaps you believe everything you hear. I don’t. 20% population addicted to opium in an islamic country is a ridiculous stat that is obviously a lie meant to distort the argument.Wake up fool.
You’re excuses are really funny. One of the most addicted countries is on US promised “freedom” watch. The main Heroin producer in the world is under US occupation. Facts. You can spin whatever you want. You can’t change those enormously expensive embarrassments. Keep sleeping while you can. You pay a lot for it.
Out here in the perimeter there are no stars, out here we is STONED IMMACULATE…
Tha doors – Stoned immaculate
Ce pot spune decit ca, a coborit iadul pe pamint!
Am fost si eu dependenta de o substanta medicamentoasa. A fost foarte greu,dar am vrut sa scap. In cazul heroinei nu-ti lasa cale de intoarcere omoridu-ti neuronii.
Sunt frati de ai nostri si nu-i ajutam cu nimic .
Nici nu ma pot gindi la tara asta.
I thought the Talibans were actually against drugs and burned the crops ?
They are against it except for the fact that it damages the west and funds their BS dogma
Vladimir, the question is: Why the US doesn’t wipe out the crops as the Taliban did? It’s hard to believe they can’t enforce that, after de hundreds of billions spent there (more than many nations GDP).
The Taliban had no rules of engagement and could kill anyone it wanted for any reason. The US is actually focusing most of it’s energy on the fighting terrorist and stabilizing the country. This is more of an internal issue.
You missed the nice pipeline projects. After 10 years and half a trillion dollars, what you say can be seen as a failure. Or mildly, very inefficient.
all goes towards stabilization.
-”all goes towards stabilization”. Well… it seems it goes down the drain. Hope you have enough credit.
The wold’s biggest supplier of Heroib under US occupation is not an “internal issue”. Your excuse is laughable. Are you high?
It certainly is an internal issue. The US doesn’t tell the Iraqis who to sell their oil to. Why should we micromanage every dirt farmer in the realm. We have bigger fish to fry.
Letting the world’s heroin supplier do business will never be an internal issue and you know it. But just because it is the US Military that looks the other way, you feel you have to downplay it… Keep trying.
It is the US military not the US police
The mission is anti terrorism not drug interdiction. To do drug interdiction in such a large geographic area would require 5 time the manpower. Why pay the cost?
“Why pay the cost?” Afghans got to your limits. And that is the most lame and hipocrite opinion to justify drug trafficking. Your boasted “war on drugs” is also a joke.
Why are they really down there using drugs because no person in their right mind would go down there with all the filth and raw sewage, is this how they keep the authorities (assuming that they even have authorities who care) away from them? There must be some reason for doing it there in that area under the bridge.
How do you know they’re not being sold to muffin and bagel bakers. I know a lot of people that love poppy seed bagels
Worldwide fact is that when there are few jobs there is a lot of free time to become a drug addict. It’s as simple as that folks.
What else are they going to do. The demand for goats just isn’t high enough to make a buck.
Very interesting post. I hope the very brave author imforms more.
Pizd supposes a lot of things, but has point. Aghan croppers can succesfully supply heroin to the world because they can. Simple. They are No. 1 now. Expesive foreign armed forces there are doing something else.
The Afghans are a very beautiful people, its a shame to see addicts, but if you destroy the poppy seeds, they will just be planted somewhere else in the world and destroy many farmers livelihood.
LAST!
I hope so.
The last Post
Finally!