The Reagan administration allows for the expansion of opium production in Afghanistan.
Date: 1987
During Reagan's tenure, Afghanistan begins to widely produce opium. Many people believe the profits from selling opium are what make it possible for Afghanistan to purchase weapons for going to war with the Soviet Union.
Doris Buddenberg (2016) writes: "Ronald Reagan’s government looked the other way when Mujahideen guerrillas encouraged farmers to plant poppy and used those profits to buy weapons to fight the Soviets.”