Opium Brides is a Frontline investigation by Najibullah Quraishi focusing on the relationship between human trafficking and the Afghani opium trade. Because of the government’s current eradication policy; poor families will grow crops for traffickers but when the fields are destroyed families are often forced to give away their daughters as collateral. These girls, who are as young as 7 and 8, are forced to work producing heroine, or are sold to men in other countries or married to traffickers. This practice has increased in popularity in recent years with the growth in power of drug smugglers. The traffickers are stronger than both the government an the Taliban and have strong ties with the Taliban. An anonymous Afghani government official estimates that hundreds of families have been effected, and many more are aware of the problem. Despite the shocking prevalence of the practice, government officials are discouraged from acknowledging the practice and are thus doing little to stop it.
Question: Do you think the eradication effort is worthwhile noting the effect it has on the local population, especially young girls and their families?
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