Over the past three years, the Taliban have repeatedly claimed to have eradicated drugs and tobacco in the country. However, findings from Herat province by Hasht-e Subh Daily reveal an increase in the buying and selling of hashish, with the market for hashish sellers thriving. This is despite a decree by Hibatullah Akhundzada banning the sale and purchase of drugs, including hashish. Following this decree, the price of hashish has surged.
According to Hasht-e Subh Daily’s findings from Herat, the price of hashish has doubled or even tripled since the decree was issued. Over the past two years, the price of one kilogram of hashish has risen from 10,000–15,000 Afghanis to 25,000–35,000 Afghanis.
Despite the ban, two hashish sellers in Herat, who requested anonymity, report that demand for the drug has increased, with many young people seeking to buy hashish. They also note that the Taliban’s prohibition has driven prices to unprecedented levels in the last two years.
Sharif Ahmad (pseudonym), one of the hashish sellers in Herat, states that the use of hashish among the youth in the province has increased, which has boosted his business. In an interview with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, this hashish seller said, “I used to sell very little before, but compared to one or two years ago, the number of buyers has significantly increased. For example, if last year I had five customers daily, now 10 to 20 people come to me daily. Most of those who come to buy hashish are young people, and the majority of them are under 35 years old.”
However, the hashish sellers say that due to the high demand, the price of hashish has also risen significantly compared to the past. According to them, the Taliban’s decrees to combat drugs have led to an increase in the price of hashish.
Gul Ahmad (pseudonym), another hashish seller in Herat, confirms that following the ban on the sale and purchase of drugs, the price has continued to rise. He says that despite the higher price, he has not lost his customers; on the contrary, the number of those addicted to this drug has increased.
This hashish seller says, “The price of hashish has increased sharply since the Taliban banned its cultivation, sale, and purchase. For instance, we used to sell half a Seer (1 seer = 7 kilograms) of hashish for 350, 400, or 500 Afghanis, but now we sell the same amount for 1,000 to 1,500 or even 2,000 Afghanis.”
Gul Ahmad adds, “Previously, the cultivation and sale of hashish were allowed, and there was no strict enforcement in this regard, but now that hashish has also been banned, the market for it has heated up, and prices have risen dramatically, with no impact on the market situation.”
This comes as international organizations have also reported that, despite the Taliban’s rhetoric about fighting drugs, the trade from opium reserves continues, and drug production factories remain operational.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
ادعای مبارزه با مواد مخدر؛ تقاضا و عرضه چرس در هرات افزایش یافته است | روزنامه ۸صبح
