In Afghanistan, some poor female carpet weavers feed their babies hashish

Image: Kevin Sites for VICE.com. Proto-warblogger and “backpack journalist” Kevin Sites, with whom I worked to create what may have been the first war blog, is back in Afghanistan reporting for VICE. One of the pieces he’s sent back so far is a fascinating look at a traditional practice among many poor, rural carpet loomers:… READ THE REST

I don’t buy this. Hash makes them focus so they can weave, and they spend more on hash than they earn weaving?

In 19th century England babies of the working poor were often pacified with laudanum while their mothers were at work.

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That’s possible. It leads to a treadmill of debt. Too bad their culture doesn’t include some kind of child day care.

Who exactly would do the childcare when they start work at age seven and continue until they drop dead?

All those lazy 6 year olds could be watching them.

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I don’t imagine the Taliban encourages women entrepreneurs much, so I suppose it would have to be one of the men.

This article is fucking bullshit. Beyond being riddled with nonsense the title implies that they’re feeding it to their kids in place of food.

which virtually ensures the enslavement of a next generation of carpet
weavers

Anti-marijuana propaganda is anti-marijuana.

The cycle is unrelenting for most of the women here. Their drug habits
cost around 200 Afghanis or $4 dollars a day, which is usually more
than they earn weaving carpets.

Ummmmmmm: http://pulitzercenter.org/blog/untold-stories/afghanistan-growing-hash-fields
“An amount that would be sold in the U.S. for about $1,000 (a supply large enough to sustain even the heaviest hash smoker for at least a year) can be purchased for 300 afghani, or about $6.”
Then there’s this tip on pricing from Oct 2012 http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/10/22/news/national/poor-afghans-farm-hashish-as-alternative-to-poppy/ : “the price of 1 kilogramme of hashish was between 3, 000 to 4,000 Afghanis (around 70 to 80 U.S. dollars)”
So, going by the idea that they spend $4 a day, it would mean they consume 50g of hash a day which is an almost impossible quantity to consume. Even if the price is higher because they buy small quantities I still find it impossible to believe they spend that much.

While it’s uncertain if hashish killed them all, medical research
shows that marijuana use during pregnancy can lead to a greater
likelihood of SIDS

While it’s uncertain? It’s entirely certain that it did nothing to them, other than possibly making their mother neglectful of providing proper clothing and nutrition. But, but “medical research” shows it can happen right? Well, I see a link to a Victorian hospital but no references to this supposed research.

Vice: If you need a writer who is capable of writing a properly-researched article… hit me up. This guy is terrible.

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You must be a cheap date.

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…until the munchies kick in!

But seriously, I think I might be able to consume 50g if I had to but after 2 or 3 I imagine you’d well and truly plateau.

…PS is that a proposition?

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