When the economy of a country is in shambles, the people will turn to whatever means necessary to survive. This often includes raising crops destined for production of illicit drugs. Those illicit crops typically finance criminal and rebellious organizations that add to the political turmoil in a region. That turmoil keeps the economy in shambles and makes it more difficult for a conversion to legitimate crops. This is the problem in Afghanistan. Although progress has been made, the lawless areas of the Southwest part of the country are still the world's largest producer of opium. Drug users in the U.S. and EU are financing terrorists that are keeping the multi-national forces busy in Afghanistan. Are we our own worst enemy?
It is in some ways the old problem of the chicken or the egg. Can you fix the illicit drug manufacturer without first removing the rebel elements and restoring law and order -- or must you restore law and order first so that the drug trade can be eliminated. In reality, both must happen almost simultaneously to be effective. If we could rid the world of the drug users it would cut off the funding for the rebels.
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