What this article totally fails to mention is the new widespread reduction techniques from the Ephedra plant (also called Mormon Tea) which grows widely around the world and even in the south western USA!
The Iraq route goes Afghanistan -> Iran -> Iraq -> ...
https://cen.acs.org/policy/global-health/Afghanistans-crysta...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedrine#Recreational_use
https://twitter.com/mansfieldintinc/status/13726706500291092...