"VAN" (International Desk - 17.03.2024) :: Chief Commissioner of Research in Barcelona stated, “If poppy isn’t cultivated in Kabul, thousands in Europe will die.”
A Spanish media outlet has reported that the ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has raised concerns over a reduction in the global supply of heroin and opium in Europe.
Spain’s “El País” newspaper on Wednesday cited a Spanish official stating that thousands of consumers in Europe could perish if poppy cultivation in Afghanistan ceases.
The report indicates that following the prohibition of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the cultivation has decreased from nearly 676,000 hectares to around 26,000 hectares.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction has warned that due to the reduced poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the world may face a shortage of heroin and opium.
The center further stated that with a shortage of global heroin and opium supply, consumers might turn to more harmful opioid substances like fentanyl or carfentanil derivatives.
According to the report, Ramon Chacon, Chief Commissioner of Research in Barcelona, warned that if European markets face a heroin shortage, consumers may turn to even more dangerous alternatives.
Chief Commissioner of Research in Barcelona stated, “If poppy isn’t cultivated in Kabul, thousands in Europe will die.”
Meanwhile, Joan Villalba, a representative of the Spanish government for the national drug strategy, mentioned that there are still no signs of synthetic heroin presence in the country.
The Spanish official stated that heroin and opium sourced from Afghan poppy arrive in Europe very slowly and with difficulty. At the same time, Myanmar has taken the lead in poppy production over Afghanistan.
The United Nations announced that opium cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by 95% this solar year.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, opium cultivation in Afghanistan decreased from 233,000 hectares in 2023 to 10,800 hectares.
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