Afghan opium farmers switch to Jenkem

"The opium market is saturated," bemoans one Afghani farmer with loose ties to Taliban militants. "The kids today, all they want is Jenkem Jenkem Jenkem. They see it on CNN and suddenly it is all they want."

While this move away from agriculture-based drug production to sewage-based production means more profits for the impoverished farmers, it also means more headaches for the coalition forces tasked with drug eradication in the area.

"Opium poppies are one thing," says Major Rim Bryant of the Marine task force in charge of poppy control in the Southern regions, "But with Jenkem, unless you want us to break every pot, bucket, and pail within three-thousand square miles, we just can't stop it."

But the problem doesn't end there. Military insiders have recently told DoseNation.com that Jenkem use has spread to coalition soldiers stationed in the Middle East. "They're having major problems with the guys in Iraq using this Jenkem," commented Major Ruble [name changed] in a recent communiqué. "I can smell it on their breath! The Marine Corps sent out a warning to all its members about it so we'd know what to look for."

And while opium poppies may make a nice bright target for aerial surveillance, the raw ingredients for Jenkem are much harder to spot, even with high-tech methods. "Basically we're out here looking for (feces) and (urine)," says Bryant. "And what are we supposed to do when we find it? Bury it? These guys are sneaky out here. They'll just make more."

---

This story is exclusive to DoseNation.com.