The problem is not the poppies in Afghanistan. The problem is the system that creates the users. What creates users? Child abuse. Spanking, hitting, ritual punishment, verbal abuse. None of that teaches coping skills.
People use drugs because they lack coping skills. Yes there are 12-step programs and they are effective. But real change starts at the bottom with how we raise our kids.
To end the war on drugs without government intervention, we must learn to raise human beings.
http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Raising-Human-Beings/Ross-W-Greene/9781476723747
Dr. Ross W. Greene wrote the book that completely changed my outlook on humanity, "Raising Human Beings". The principles outline in this book will show us how to teach kids the skills they need to get along, take care of themselves and their brothers and sisters.
I believe that when we cease the promotion of child abuse in all of its forms, we will raise human beings who are resistant to corruption, the temptation for abuse, and the need to control others. More to the point, with the skill of collaboration as taught in this book (and others like it), our kids can grow up into adult who will not need to self-medicated themselves with drugs, food, gambling, etc.
Real change starts at the bottom, with our kids. From there, we can remove the source of income for the drugs by drying up their supply of customers. Just by raising kids right.