Flavoured 'yaba' aimed at kids being distributed via Facebook

[webfact]

Flavoured 'yaba' aimed at kids
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Parents should keep an eye on their children as a new form of flavoured meth-amphetamine pill is being distributed via Facebook, authorities said yesterday.

"We found that yaba makers are trying to change their product to meet the demands targeted groups," said Dr Viroj Verachai, director of the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment.

The new yaba tablets look like candy and are being offered to children, he said.

Yaba labs have increased the potency from 20 per cent up to 90-95 per cent especially for "ice", or crystal meth, which directly stimulates the nervous system. Generally, yaba tastes bitter but to lure new customers, sweet flavours have been added such as chocolate, strawberry and milk.

"These flavours help the users take the drug more easily, but it could severely affect their nervous systems," he said.

About 75 per cent of those enrolled in drug rehabilitation programmes were yaba users and 25 per cent were addicted to ice.

Though some users were able to kick the habit within six months, some could develop mental problems, he added.

In Chiang Rai, police arrested several yaba dealers and seized a million tablets.

This lot was smuggled in by a group of |ethnic Akha tribesmen, and was aimed for the South via Bangkok, Pol General Priewphan Damaphong said at a press conference yesterday.


-- The Nation 2013-08-27

[lemoncake]

Now this is really scary. Kid may not even want to try drugs but when it looks like candy would not even know

[impulse]

Bad enough for kids who live here and whose parents can warn them.

I'm wondering about the tourists who show up fat, dumb and adventurous, eager to try the candy handed to them by God only knows who.

[pedro01]

This old chestnut still pops up in the uk press every now and again. It's more than likely someone just messing around on Facebook. Note that there is no mention of anyone actually being in possession of these chic-o-whizz pulls and the 'targeted at kids' is also a leap. You can't really flavour bitter tasting drugs and in any case, most people don't chew their drugs..,

[huungryshark]

This old chestnut still pops up in the uk press every now and again. It's more than likely someone just messing around on Facebook. Note that there is no mention of anyone actually being in possession of these chic-o-whizz pulls and the 'targeted at kids' is also a leap. You can't really flavour bitter tasting drugs and in any case, most people don't chew their drugs..,

Maybe the flavor is for when it´s smoked because i never saw people chew yaba. Only smoke.

[Cloggie]

Is it not possible that if we catch a dealer we can force him to eat 1kg of his own tablets first?

If not, can we make a law for that?

[noitom]

This Thai drug thing is unbelievable. It defies all imagination as to why after all these years, Thai police haven't a clue about the Thai Mr. Big drug organization. Do Thais really expect the public to think that they are fools, stumble bums, and Keystone Cops and can't figure it out, or do they think that the public really knows that they are complicit and collaborating in it? and don't give a damn? Either way, the Thais look like buffoons and failures for not having a clue and never making any Mr. Big narcotics busts.

[arthurboy]

It's good to see yet another seizure of drugs. Indeed, the authorities have made quite a few in recent months - at least that's what we are seeing in the media.

So I guess the RTP have enough intel by now to go for and apprehend the Mr. Bigs.

Yes?

[MikeENZ]

I wish that people, especially the media would actually do the slightest bit of research first

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Quik_meth_myth

This hoax has been doing the rounds for 6 years now!

[habfan]

Words cannot describe how much I hate this F#$KIN YABA! I grew up in the drug prominent late 60's early 70's and was a regular user of "soft" drugs and occasionally experimented with harder substances so I consider myself fairly tolerant and of the freedom of choice school but yaba and crystal meth IMHO are in a league all their own. I live in rural North Thailand and witness daily the damage caused by yaba to the youth and their families in my village. I see no attempt whatsoever by the powers that be to confront this cancer to all of Thailand. Excuse my rant, it is a very emotional subject for me.

[pookiki]

Methamphetamine (yaba) and crystal methamphetamine (ya-ice) is a scourge on society. It is a terrible problem in many countries in the world. Thailand bears the brunt of amphetamine use because the biggest producer in the region is Myanmar - mainly in areas controlled by the Wa. Now that Myanmar is allegedly back in the international community, there should be a concerted effort by Myanmar and other countries to shut down the meth labs operated by the Wa. Thailand and other neighboring countries could also cut off the supply of 'precursor' chemicals, mainly psuedoephidrine, which is critical element in amphetamine production. Amphetamine use causes permanent brain damage. To think that producers are now deliberately targeting children is particularly heinous.

[pookiki]

I wish that people, especially the media would actually do the slightest bit of research first

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Quik_meth_myth

This hoax has been doing the rounds for 6 years now!

It would be a hoax if a one is referring to amphetamine or methamphetamine pills. Anyone done any research on flavored crystal methamphetamine? No matter if it is a hoax or not, the societal problems caused by amphetamine use are very, very serious.

Edited August 27, 2013 by pookiki

[pookiki]

Words cannot describe how much I hate this F#$KIN YABA! I grew up in the drug prominent late 60's early 70's and was a regular user of "soft" drugs and occasionally experimented with harder substances so I consider myself fairly tolerant and of the freedom of choice school but yaba and crystal meth IMHO are in a league all their own. I live in rural North Thailand and witness daily the damage caused by yaba to the youth and their families in my village. I see no attempt whatsoever by the powers that be to confront this cancer to all of Thailand. Excuse my rant, it is a very emotional subject for me.

Feel the same way, brother. But Thailand is not the only place that suffers from amphetamine use and addiction. It is a global problem. Not sure the Thai authorities are any more to blame than any other law enforcement agency around the world. Drugs will always be a problem as long as there are people willing to buy and use them. Did you have any problem getting 'soft' drugs in the 60's and 70's? I didn't.

Edited August 27, 2013 by pookiki

[Mampara]

This Thai drug thing is unbelievable. It defies all imagination as to why after all these years, Thai police haven't a clue about the Thai Mr. Big drug organization. Do Thais really expect the public to think that they are fools, stumble bums, and Keystone Cops and can't figure it out, or do they think that the public really knows that they are complicit and collaborating in it? and don't give a dam_n? Either way, the Thais look like buffoons and failures for not having a clue and never making any Mr. Big narcotics busts.

I Think the Thai police Know more than u think they know, and besides that are the Keystone Cops not the American Police force? and have they managed to control the drug trafficking after all the years? and are the drug cartels not right next to them in Mexico?

[sandrabbit]

if you can get a proxy server there is currently a documentary on BBC iplayer about this very subject mentioning that there are vanilla flavoured tablets but I warn you it is hard going watching it because the female presenter's accent and pronunciation is awful.

[KRaymond]

I don't see Walter White in the picture

[belg]

next story we will hear :

teachers give free sample of yaba to kids to hook them for life

[drdoom6996]

Now here's a reason for Cyber Crimes to shut a site down.

[diz]

I wish that people, especially the media would actually do the slightest bit of research first

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Quik_meth_myth

This hoax has been doing the rounds for 6 years now!

It would be a hoax if a one is referring to amphetamine or methamphetamine pills. Anyone done any research on flavored crystal methamphetamine? No matter if it is a hoax or not, the societal problems caused by amphetamine use are very, very serious.

Not only about meth. I remember hoax news about dealers allegedly providing school kids with heroin for free back in Switzerland. No dealer gives away drugs for free! It's just bullshit. Kids have no money = bad clients.

[animatic]

Only in Thailand would a 'sweet flavor' be MILK.

No amount of chocolate will make the bitter pill sweet if you chew it.

[mamypoko]

There goes all the weight loss benefits.

[cloghead]

I don't see Walter White in the picture

Here ya go...

http://vimeo.com/48739828

[hawker9000]

I wish that people, especially the media would actually do the slightest bit of research first

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Quik_meth_myth

This hoax has been doing the rounds for 6 years now!

Are you SURE this is just a continuation of that hoax? The article seems to say a million of these tablets were actually seized. But you are saying they were not as the article describes (so that the article is basically unconfirmed)?

[JulesMad]

Is it not possible that if we catch a dealer we can force him to eat 1kg of his own tablets first?

If not, can we make a law for that?

That is a very good idea!!! And at every step up the supply chain, add a kilo or two....

[squarethecircle]

Hmm, not sure what to make of this. It's called "chocolate" in the Phillippines due to the sweet smell it is said to make when burning, and the pictures of it on the internet looks like candy already. User beware, all that glitters is not gold. Sweet packaging, deadly product. Still, I doubt that the Mr. Bigs are "targeting kids", as others have pointed out, since they don't have the money (or the thief skills) to fund a steady habit.

I read that in the areas of Myanmar where it's produced, the addiction rates are upwards of 75%, and China is having a big problem with it as well, but the PRC has armed the Wa army with high-tech weaponry since it forms a buffer between China and the Myanmar army. It looks like this is going to continue to be a plague on society for a long time, just like the Mexico cartels, there's too much cash flow involved and too many crooked figures banking on it.

Edited August 27, 2013 by squarethecircle

[mrfill]

if you can get a proxy server there is currently a documentary on BBC iplayer about this very subject mentioning that there are vanilla flavoured tablets but I warn you it is hard going watching it because the female presenter's accent and pronunciation is awful.

No need for a proxy - it is on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSB9NtPuJw8

[mrfill]

"a new form of flavoured meth-amphetamine pill is being distributed via Facebook"

Visit page - Click Like - Bingo! Pills pop out the USB port (Firewire port for Mac users)

[lee b]

SICK

[LuckyLew]

They call the pills "Flinstones" and they all go YABA daba Doooooooooooooo

[surangw]

good case for exterminating drug dealers ( on the spot when ever possible )