According to an order issued by the Taliban’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, marijuana cultivation is banned throughout the country.
In the event of violations, plantations are destroyed, and those who violate are punished under sharia.
Cannabis is one of the most widely grown crops among farmers throughout the country, with Afghanistan becoming its largest supplier in 2010, according to U.N. data.
The country has long been among the largest producers of opium, a raw ingredient for heroin, as well as cannabis, with extensive cultivation across half its provinces.
According to a 2010 United Nations Office on Drugs (UNODC) report, Afghanistan produced 10,000-24,000 hectares of cannabis annually, with large-scale cultivation occurring in 17 out of 34 provinces.
Before coming to power, Taliban fighters were reported to be stealing millions from this trade, charging farmers and traffickers fees in exchange for safe transit for drugs.