The leader of the Taliban movement (recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned) in Afghanistan, Haibatullah Akhundzada, has banned the cultivation of hemp (marijuana) throughout the country. This was announced on Twitter by the official representative of the ruling regime, Zabiullah Mujahid. The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021.
The decree of the Taliban leader states that “the cultivation of hemp is strictly prohibited throughout the country, and after that no one can plant hemp on their land, and if someone plants hemp on their land, it will be destroyed” (quoted by Dariwa). The Taliban leader also instructed the Interior Ministry and investigating authorities to bring the offenders to justice, and the courts to “punish them according to Sharia law.”
The document will come into force from the date of approval and will be published in the official gazette.
In December 2022, the Afghan Interior Ministry announced a nationwide ban on poppy cultivation. This was reported TOLOnews.
From the immature pods of the opium poppy, opium is obtained – a thickened milky juice from which morphine and codeine are isolated.
Afghanistan is the world’s largest opium producer and one of the largest producers of cannabis. There are no reliable data on the volume of cannabis production in the country, TASS reports.