Pakistan, Nov. 6 -- The resurgence of poppy cultivation shows that prohibition can suppress an illicit economy temporarily, but cannot dismantle it without addressing the financial incentives and rural conditions that sustain it.

The Taliban's prohibition on opium cultivation was initially presented as evidence of its ability to impose order and confront Afghanistan's narcotics economy. The results appeared dramatic. Following the ban announced in April 2022, opium poppy cultivation fell sharply, offering the Taliban authorities an opportunity to claim progress against one of the country's most entrenched illicit industries. Three years later, however, that achievement is looking increasingly fragile.The United Nations Office on Drugs an...