Drugs in Afghanistan

David Macdonald

Description

'Afghanistan is seen as a major drug producer, but its own people are becoming the victims. ... David Macdonald not only explores [the reasons for this] but also tells an addictive tale that is difficult to resist.' Shirazuddin Siddiqi, BBC



'This stunning book provides a first hand account of the Afghan drug problem. David Macdonald has written the definitive text on drugs in Afghanistan.' Professor Gerry Stimson, Executive Director, International Harm Reduction Association



'David Macdonald tells a story about the diversity of drug use in Afghanistan that no one has ever told before.' Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance, New York



Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium and heroin. This book explores the devastating impact that the drugs trade has had on the Afghan people.



Author David Macdonald has worked as a drugs advisor to the UN. Based on his extensive experience, this book breaks down the myths surrounding the cultivation and consumption of drugs, providing a detailed analysis of the history of drug use within the country. He examines the impact of over 25 years of continuous conflict, and shows how poverty and instability has led to an increase in drugs consumption. He also considers the recent rise in the use of pharmaceutical drugs, resulting in dangerous chemical cocktails and analyses the effect of Afghanistan's drug trade on neighbouring countries.
Map

List of abbreviations

Glossary of terms

Acknowledgements

Prologue

1. Introduction

2. Scorpion tales

3. A nation in anguish

4. Opium cultivators

5. Heroin producers and traffickers

6. Outlaws and warlords

7. Drug use in Afghanistan’s history

8. Neighbours and refugees

9. A tale of two opiums

10. Hashish and hakims

11. Pharmaceuticals and chemical cocktails

12. Masters of the universe: other drugs and future dimensions

13. Scorpion tails

Postscript

Notes

Index

Sujets

• Social Science
• Droit et juridique
• Afganistán
• Criminology
• Afghanistan

Informations

• Publié par: Pluto Press
• Date de parution: 20 janvier 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781849643498
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Drugs in Afghanistan Opium, Outlaws and Scorpion Tales

DAVID MACDONALD

P Pluto Press LONDON • ANN ARBOR, MI

First published 2007 by Pluto Press 345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA and 839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106

www.plutobooks.com

Copyright © David Macdonald 2007

The right of David Macdonald to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Hardback ISBN-13 ISBN-10

Paperback ISBN-13 ISBN-10

978 0 7453 2618 4 0 7453 2618 8

978 0 7453 2617 7 0 7453 2617 X

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data applied for

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Designed and produced for Pluto Press by Chase Publishing Services Ltd, Fortescue, Sidmouth, EX10 9QG, England Typeset from disk by Stanford DTP Services, Northampton, England Printed and bound in the European Union by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham and Eastbourne, England

Dedicated to the memory of Behar

Map Abbreviations Glossary Acknowledgements Prologue

 1

 2

 3

 4

 5

 6

 7

 8

 9

10

11

12

13

Introduction

Scorpion Tales

A Nation in Anguish

Opium Cultivators

Cont

e

nt

Heroin Producers and Traffickers

Outlaws and Warlords

Drug Use in Afghanistan’s History

Neighbours and Refugees

A Tale of Two Opiums

Hashish andHakims

s

Pharmaceuticals and Chemical Cocktails

Masters of the Universe: Other Drugs and Future Dimensions

Scorpion Tails

Postscript Notes Index

vii

viii ix xi xiv xvii

1

16

37

59

86

110

137

154

169

190

208

229

241

250 255 284

AIDS AK47 AKF AMF AMRC ANF ASNF ATS BBC BCCI CIA CND CNPA DCCU DDR DDTC DEA FDA HIV IDP IDU IDUs INCB ISAF ISI

IWPR LEAP LSD NGO NIFA NSP NWFP ORA PNCB PTSD

Abbreviations

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Kalashnikov automatic assault rifle Agha Khan Foundation Afghan Military Force Afghan Media Resource Centre Antinarcotics Force Afghan Special Narcotics Force Amphetamine type stimulants British Broadcasting Corporation Bank of Credit and Commerce International Central Intelligence Agency Commission on Narcotic Drugs Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan Drug Control Coordination Unit Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration Drug Dependency Treatment Centre Drug Enforcement Administration/Agency Food and Drug Administration Human immunodeficiency virus Internally displaced person Injecting drug use Injecting drug users International Narcotics Control Board International Security Assistance Force Inter Services Intelligence (Pakistan intelligence agency) Institute for War and Peace Reporting Law Enforcement against Prohibition lysergic acid diethylamide (a hallucinogenic drug) Nongovernmental organisation National Islamic Front of Afghanistan Needle and syringe access and disposal programme North West Frontier Province Orphans, Refugees and Aid (international NGO) Pakistan Narcotics Control Board Post traumatic stress disorder

ix

x Drugs in Afghanistan

RAWA

RPG RSA RTA SAS SHCDC SP SUV THC

TRIPS UMRC UNAMA UNDCP

UNDP UNESCO

UNHCR UNICEF UNODC UNODCCP

UXO VOA WFP WHO WTO

Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan Rocket propelled grenade Rapid situation assessment RadioTV Afghanistan Special Air Service State High Commission for Drug Control Spasmo Proxyvon Sport utility vehicle Tetrahydrocannabinol (the main active constituent of cannabis) TradeRelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Uranium Medical Research Center United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan United Nations International Drug Control Programme United Nations Development Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation United Nations High Commission for Refugees United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention Unexploded Ordnance Voice of America World Food Programme World Health Organization World Trade Organization

Afs

al-khamr andiwal ashar ashrar

bhang bhangawa burshesha

chai khana chando charas charasi chillum chowkidor cristal dawa daya djinns faqir farman ghamza girda hakim haram Hijra jihad jirga kala khans konjara Kuchis

lashkar

Glossary

shortened form of the Afghani, the currency of Afghanistan intoxicants or drugs (originally meaning alcohol) friend the use of reciprocal labour those who spread discord; a term used by the communist regime to describemujahideen herbal cannabis drink prepared with herbal cannabis type of medicine made byhakims(often with intoxicating properties) tea room or tea house form of refined opium hashish habitual hashish user water pipe for smoking hashish (in Afghanistan) watchman or guard type of heroin medicine midwife spirits Islamic (Sufi) ascetic holy man edict form of opium smoking crumbly powdered cannabis resin practitioner of herbal medicine forbidden the Islamic calendar holy war a tribal council or assembly (Pashtoon) caravan the equivalent of aristocratic feudal lords animal fodder nomadic tribespeople; usually referring to a tribe of Pashtoon nomads in Afghanistan tribal army

xi

xii Drugs in Afghanistan

Loya Jirga madak

madrassa majun/majoun malang maliks mast mofarah mothad mujahid

mukhadir narghile nashaimawad naswar Pashtoonwali patou pir poder poderi puri riba rubab sadhu saglahoo salaam

serai shabnama

sharab Sharia shirac shura tariak tarra tchilim thariac topakai toshak

grand assembly or council pills made from opium mixed with water and rice or barley husks Koranic school edible mixture of hashish and other ingredients a Sufi ascetic or mendicant community leaders or tribal elders state of intoxication intoxicating mixture drug addict (pl.mujahideen) one who leads the faithful in holy war or takes part in holy war intoxicant or drug water pipe for smoking hashish intoxicating substance a type of chewing tobacco the Pashtoon social code of conduct blanket spiritual leader (usually of a Sufi order) powder, a term used to refer to heroin heroin addict weight just under 1 g usury, interest on loans Afghan lute Hindu ascetic holy man type of sea otter loan as advance payment for a fixed amount of agricultural product traveller’s lodging place ‘night letter’, often referring to a clandestinely distributed leaflet alcohol Islamic law high quality Afghan hashish village council opium (Afghanistan) homebrewed liquor type of water pipe opium (Iran) gunman or armed bandit floor cushion

Ulema shura

usher

WolesiJirga zamzam zina

Glossary xiii

the council of Islamic scholars, acting as advisers to the government traditional Islamic tax (10 per cent of all agricultural products) Lower House of Parliament holy water from Mecca sexual activity outside marriage