On today’s program, Robert Draper discusses the ongoing efforts to eradicate Afghanistan’s opium poppy crop. Afghanistan produces 90% of the world’s opium, the main ingredient in heroin. Poppies are ubiquitous in the country even though they are illegal to grow. Draper traveled to Helmand Province, where most of Afghanistan’s opium is harvested, to learn more about the efforts underway to wean farmers off of poppies. His article appears in this month’s issue of National Geographic. The photographs that accompany Draper’s piece were taken by David Guttenfelder and can be viewed as a slideshow here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/opium-wars/guttenfelder-photography
The full text of the article is avaialble here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/opium-wars/draper-text