The Afghan government has rejected a U.S. proposal to spray the country's illegal opium crops with herbicides from the air, the Associated Press reported Jan. 26.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Cabinet were concerned that the spraying would damage or kill legitimate crops. The U.S. currently funds aerial spraying campaigns targeted coca crops in Colombia, and wanted to replicate the program to target heroin from Afghanistan. The spraying is done with the herbicide glyphosate, sold to consumers in the U.S. under the brand name Roundup.

Afghan produced a record opium crop in 2006, and Karzai said that spraying could commence in 2008 if other eradication efforts didn't make an impact by then. Drug cartels and Taliban militants both protect the opium crop and draw huge profits from it.

"We're happy with Karzai's decision. Spraying affects the animals and vegetables, even humans," said Asadullah Wafa, governor of Helmand province. "There is another way to eradicate, like launching operations through all the districts, and I hope the international community will give us tractors and provide more troops to destroy poppies."