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Friday, April 24, 2026
TopicOpium

Topic: Opium

Afghanistan is starving—and its farmers are fighting to save the poppy

The world has a shared interest in helping Afghan farmers move on from poppy. But time and again, it has abandoned them and the young Afghans killed by the poisonous harvest to their fate.

Is ‘Ice’ becoming the new ‘chitta’? Hit hard by Taliban’s opium ban, Punjab is breaking bad

Recoveries indicate shift in smuggling of narcotics from India-Pakistan border into state, with smugglers veering more towards pushing 'Ice' or crystal meth than heroin or ‘chitta’.

Indian opium paid for Chinese tea. It pushed wealthy Asia into poverty

In 'Asia after Europe', Sugata Bose explores developments in Asian thought, art, and politics that challenged EuroAmerican dominance.

Afghanistan’s opium cultivation grew by 32% after Taliban takeover last year, finds UN report

The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also found that farmers' income from opium sales have tripled to $1.4 billion in 2022, from $425 million in 2021.

Bajaj Healthcare is first private entity to enter highly-regulated opium processing sector 

Although India is one of the few countries that permit opium cultivation, its processing has so far been highly centralised.

Empire of poppies: Why countries think stopping Taliban’s narco-state is not worth the cost

Even as ordinary Afghans are reported to be selling their organs — and their daughters — for food, the Taliban-led opium industry is blossoming.

Opium production in Afghanistan crosses 6,000-ton mark for 5th year, says UN report

Uncertainty after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan pushed up opium prices in August & September 2021. But output is up by 8% and incentives for cultivation have risen, report adds.

Desperate Afghans have found a ‘new treatment’ for coronavirus – opium

Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in Afghanistan, and with no vaccine and scant medical resources people are turning to older remedies in the hopes of beating the pandemic.

India’s opium crop is drying up in lockdown, but the parrots are not complaining

Poppy farmers say opium harvest is drying up due to which their produce is losing weight and this can lead to cancellation of their cultivation licence.

What are opioids — the highly addictive drugs that wreaked havoc in the US

John Kapoor, the Amritsar-born Indian American & founder of pharma company Isys, was sentenced for leading a conspiracy that led to the opioid crisis in the US.

On Camera

Iran war has given India a blueprint for the next conflict

Pakistan would be itching to do an Iran on us and China would be planning to execute an air campaign without allowing us asymmetrical escalation. India has no choice but to transform.

Haryana’s new industrial policy in the works, but industry says old problems remain unsolved

Increase in employment subsidy, Rs 500 crore for estate revamp, new townships in pipeline—but land cost, power breakdowns and inspector raj top among key worries for industry leaders.

Military pushes for private participation in space, more Indian satellites. ‘Can’t rely on single entity’ 

CDS Anil Chauhan says future space capability will not be built by government agencies alone. ‘It will be co-developed with industry, start-ups, and technology innovators’.

Trump, Netanyahu’s Iran gamble: The regime change rebound

American objectives are unmet. They neither have muscle nor motivation to resume the war. As for Iran, the regime didn’t just survive, it’s now led by more radical individuals.