According to an MSNBC report on Afghanistan, “an increasing number of farmers have turned to marijuana, which is receiving less attention from authorities.” The world’s largest producer of opium poppies is turning over to marijuana — this is good news, right? Not according to the military’s spokesman Col. Jerry O’Hara, who declares that this discovery “is an attack on the future of all Afghanistan.”

Were the DEA not engaged in this fruitless endeavor, marijuana would offer a way for Afghan farmers to raise a cash crop without subverting the fragile rule of law. While not quite as profitable as poppies, marijuana weeds still yield a good amount of profit per plant; furthermore, the plant requires very little maintenance, and can grow just about anywhere (an essential characteristic in the far-from-fertile Afghan land).

Even if legalization leads to a dramatic drop in prices, Afghanistan would still be largely protected, thanks to the high reputation of its “kush” weed. This variety is high-quality to be used for medicinal purposes, leading to more demand and more incoming cash for a region that desperately needs it.

The legalization of this harmless substance could do wonders in ensuring stability in one of the most notoriously lawless regions in the world. The costs that this prohibition has incurred over the years in staggering — even in Bailout Nation.