Well known for being one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world, Afghanistan has suffered many tragic events that have led to its current state of troubles. For decades, it was the scene of countless wars that resulted in a corrupt and disheveled country. This led to Afghanistan becoming dependent on opium cultivation and heroin distribution as a source of economic “revival”. While “the production and trafficking of opium and drugs represent “more than a third” of the country's revenue, Afghanistan has become dependent on the drug trade to provide jobs and finance the economy (Maguet and Majeet, 2010, p. begs the question: what drove Afghanistan to become one of the world's largest suppliers of opium and how can it continue to be the world's leading supplier, with billions of dollars spent on security against opium cultivation, poor governance and farmers? Economic motivations and incentives keep Afghanistan at the top of the opium market. Opium production boom Beginning with the Soviet invasion in the 1980s, Afghanistan endured a decade of conflict with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, leaving it in a state of recession. the war essentially halted their economic growth and development, leading to a crippled government and workforce, a situation that continues to this day. With the loss and displacement of much of their institutions, homes and citizens, the country was left with virtually nothing. As a result, the majority of the population was left jobless and homeless. This is where the production of opium and heroin comes in, seen as an opportunity for ordinary people to earn a living. Although poppy cultivation is traditional... middle of paper ...... a century, Afghanistan has experienced conflict after conflict, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. Afghan citizens have had to take extreme measures to support themselves and their families, leading to the involvement of the illicit poppy growing and heroin production industry. Lacking a source of income, many farmers took advantage of this opportunity to make money, as they did not have much repercussions to fear from the government. From an economic point of view, the supply of opium to other countries contributed much to the "wealth" of Afghanistan, but in doing so it also helped the Taliban and Afghan warlords gain a large sum of money to finance for their battles. With opium production having reached its highest level in recent years, strategies similar to those used by the Taliban must be implemented again, otherwise Afghanistan's opium production will continue to increase..