The National Drug Strategy proposed by the Kabul government in l993 is no closer to implementation now than then. There are no reliable indicators of significant accomplishments on a national level. Illicit cultivation has increased. In the absence of an accepted central government, production, distribution, trafficking, and the financial structure underpinning the drug trade were not curbed in any form. Afghanistan does not currently engage in measurable legal or political activities to dismantle the trade in illicit drugs, including hashish, or precursor chemicals.
Anecdotal information indicates a growing drug addiction problem in Afghanistan.
There are reports of local-level demand reduction activities. A bright spot was the significant opium eradication in Nangarhar Province. Frequent contact between embassy officials and the Nangarhar Shura maintained open lines of communication, including one visit exclusively dedicated to inaugurating the Nangarhar Drug Unit. In fact, opium poppy increased in Taliban-held areas of Afghanistan. Law Enforcement Efforts.