Afghanistan has a flourishing opium trade. They apparently produce most of the world’s opium. Ironically, it’s kind of our fault–the Taliban had pretty much eradicated all poppy cultivation, but with them gone, it’s come back. A recent news story suggests that the Afghani leaders in charge of fighting opium quit after their pay was slashed due to overseas funding drying up. (This one was poorly thought through…)

I want this job. Here’s my plan: encourage opium cultivation.

India has a flourishing, but regulated, opium trade. The product is sold to pharmaceutical companies, who refine it into morphine. Farmers are apparently limited to how many poppies they can grow. The government periodically does inspections of farmers to make sure they’re complying, and to make sure that their product isn’t being diverted into illegal usage.

This is what Afghanistan needs. You deal a crippling blow (again…) to the illegal drug trade, while also bolstering their economy with pharmaceutical sales.

Where do I submit my resume?