In 2026, the drugs ban in Afghanistan appears to be weakening. Although estimated cultivation remains well below pre-ban levels, it increased sharply from around 10,000 hectares in 2025 to more than 43,000 (32,000 – 61,000) hectares in 2026. There are now 16 out of 34 provinces – five more than in the year before – that saw poppy cultivation. At 76 per cent of total area, cultivation continues to be concentrated in the North-East, specifically in Badakhshan. Estimated national opium production increased from about 300 tons in 2025 to just under 1,500 (800 - 2,400) tons in 2026.