Russia's heroin problem and ongoing battles over Afghan poppy fields

Washington Post piece. Depressing statistic: Russia has 2 million addicts who consume 21 of the world supply. Even more depressing statistic: in 2001 when Taliban in control, production minute. After coalition invaded, in 2002 production rose to 3,000 tons By 2008, at 8,000 tons and was supposed to have dipped last year to 7,000 tons. Mostly grown in Kandahar and Helmand...It seems a long time since John Reid told us that the UK was sending troops to Helmand to eradicate opium poppy production. Remember? It was January 2006, actually, according to the Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7146449.ece