LEBANON BACKS DOWN ON OPIUM CRACKDOWN

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Lebanon, under pressure from Iran and Syria, has backeddown from plans to end its $4 billion a year illegal drug trade. The Iranian-backed Hizbullah said it would not obey government plans toend the cultivation of cannabis and opium.. Hizbullah obtains a majorportion of its revenues from the growth and export of cannabis and opium.The opium is turned into heroin and shipped to Europe and Africa.