The drug trade in Afghanistan is acceptable, particularly marijuana.

There are countless fields of the plant flourishing everywhere, enough to give the RCMP at home a headache.

But, like the poppy plant used to make heroin, marijuana cultivation is deemed as acceptable in Afghanistan and a necessity of life.

"We should just buy the stuff off them," says one soldier.

"That way we know it's not going to end up on the streets."

I suggested that Canadian taxpayers might have a problem knowing that their money is going to marijuana farmers in Afghanistan.

Even though the marijuana is plentiful and accessible, you don't see Afghanis smoking pot.

In fact, you don't see them smoking anything aside from the odd cigarette from a soldier.

Many will tell you that the Taliban subsidize their war effort through the drug trade.

It's a stretch, but it's ironic to think that drug addicts in Canada could be helping the Taliban.