"Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has soared to near-record levels in 2004, posing a serious threat to the country's stability, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) says.

Production of opium poppies rose from 3200 tonnes in 2003 to 4200 tonnes last year, approaching levels last seen when the Taliban was in power, INCB president Hamid Ghodse said on the release of the agency's annual report on Wednesday.

"This total comes close to the record of 4600 tonnes registered in 1999 under the Taliban regime," he added, warning that the new increase put Afghanistan "on the road to becoming a major drug-trafficking state (http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6CD18079-EAD9-494E-B307-E9745DB6D6EB.htm)".

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"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.......you The MAN (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/3/28/95240.shtml), Dumbya..........."