A new task for botanists.
 

Reported in the news recently was the long-overdue intention of the USA to
start aerial spraying the opium poppies of Afghanistan with weed killer.

Of course a similar course of action against the coca plant has been under
way for many years in Columbia with some good results.

But what a waste of good weed killer, and how expensive an operation!

It's time for all botanists to rise up and contrive some new animal, insect
or fungal pest to mow down these evil errant plants for the greater good of
mankind.

Required is some agent to gnaw at the stems and roots, or some bug to infest
the leaves.

Medicinal morphine could be synthesized at a far lower cost than the money
now spent on drug policing.

Just think! The good botanists could 'disavow' any knowledge of the
established pest and so avoid any boring international politics about 'poor
people losing their livelihood' by pleading that a 'new bug / virus has just
evolved' and its all just bad luck.

What a wonderful way to clear American & European cities of drug-ingesting
pot-heads and hippies, the idle poor and the layabout, constantly-high
university students.

Yeah man!!!

It's time for all botanists to rise up and contrive some new animal, insect
or fungal pest to mow down these evil errant plants (opium poppies) for the
greater good of
mankind.

Don't laugh. Very often the best way to control a noxious weed is to introduce
a natural enemy which doesn't attack any other plant. This is what they are
doing to the purple loosestrife which has infested the wetlands of the
northeast US, crowding out the food plants of migratory birds. However, I
believe this is the job of the entomologists, not the botanists.
When they get through with the poppies, they can start on Phragmites.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense." - Woody Allen

Peter Jason wrote:

Reported in the news recently was the long-overdue intention of the USA to
start aerial spraying the opium poppies of Afghanistan with weed killer.

Grrreeaat! Evidence suggests that the constant spraying of coca in
South America has selected for a Roundup-resistant coca plant, which
is being enthusiastically propagated and cultivated. Guess we'll have
herbicide resistant poppies next.

M. Reed

"Peter Jason" wrote in message
...

It's time for all botanists to rise up and contrive some new animal,
insect
or fungal pest to mow down these evil errant plants for the greater
good of
mankind.

It is rare for an introduced eradicator not to bring problems of its
own.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Peter Jason wrote:

Reported in the news recently was the long-overdue intention of the USA
to
start aerial spraying the opium poppies of Afghanistan with weed killer.

Grrreeaat! Evidence suggests that the constant spraying of coca in
South America has selected for a Roundup-resistant coca plant, which
is being enthusiastically propagated and cultivated. Guess we'll have
herbicide resistant poppies next.

M. Reed

I think I have hit on the solution.
All that is required is to find a bug susceptible to opium, that is to 'get
it started' on the addiction path and then let it loose on the opium poppy
heads!