高考英语考前突破阅读理解能力：社会生活阿富汗罂粟种植量创新高.docVIP

阿富汗罂粟种植量创新高 Afghan opium cultivation has reached a record level, with more than 200,000 hectares planted with the poppy for the first time, the United Nations says. 联合国称，阿富汗鸦片的种植量已创下新记录，首次有20万多公顷的土地被种上罂粟。 ? The UNODC report said the harvest was 36% up on last year, and if fully realised would outstrip global demand. ? Most of the rise was in Helmand province, where British troops are preparing to withdraw.? One of the main reasons the UK sent troops to Helmand was to cut opium production. ? The head of the UN office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Kabul, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, said that production was likely to rise again next year, amid uncertainty over the withdrawal of most foreign troops and the presidential election.? ? He said that the illegal economy was taking over in importance from legitimate business, and that prices remained high since there was a ready availability of cash in Afghanistan because of aid. ? As long as we think that we can have short-term, fast solutions for the counter-narcotics, we are continued to be doomed to fail, he added.? Mr Lemahieu said there had been some recent successes, including the arrest of leading figures in the drugs industry, but it could take 10-15 years to deal with Afghanistans opium crisis, even if policies improved. 高考学习网： 高考学习网：