North Korea: meth capital of the world?

[Balog]

Two interesting things I learned from this story. NK has government factories making meth to sell to the ChiComs, and up to %50 of the population may be tweakers. That country cannot get any more bizarre...

http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2013/08/20/north-korea-grapples-with-crystal-meth-epidemic/

[Nightfall]

That country cannot get any more bizarre...

Yeah, I keep thinking that too... until the next tidbit of NK reality sneaks out for us to gawk at. 

[MillCreek]

This just in: in the final episode of Breaking Bad, Walter White is abducted by NK agents!

[CNYCacher]

I think it says more about meth than it says about NK.

Perhaps its not the "hit it once and you'll be banging truckers for a $10 fix" scourge that we have been led to believe?

[Balog]

I think it says more about meth than it says about NK.

Perhaps its not the "hit it once and you'll be banging truckers for a $10 fix" scourge that we have been led to believe?

Anyone who lives in poor areas where meth is common know that already. It is significantly addictive however (moreso with the cheap, poor quality bathtub stuff than with the lab grade meth fighter pilots in Vietnam were issued) and does tend to cause serious paranoia and mental issues. No idea if that's an actual effect of the drug or of the byproducts from low quality production.

[Tallpine]

I think it says more about meth than it says about NK.

Perhaps its not the "hit it once and you'll be banging truckers for a $10 fix" scourge that we have been led to believe?

I'm surprised that coffee isn't illegal 

[Boomhauer]

That explains a lot about NK....

[Scout26]

Oh won't it be fun when the Nork.gov finally comes apart and they merge with the south.  Nothing like having a bunch of midget, xenophobic tweakers as citizens (and voters) of your new combined country.  Won't that be fun.

[Perd Hapley]

Two interesting things I learned from this story. NK has government factories making meth to sell to the ChiComs, and up to %50 of the population may be tweakers. That country cannot get any more bizarre...

That ain't bizarre. No surprise the Norks have turned to drugs, to deal with the misery. Or, Dear Leader finds it a useful way to keep the population enfeebled.

[Balog]

I think a fed.gov going into the meth business is pretty unusual, as is HALF the population of a country being addicted to a fairly hard drug like meth.

[Perd Hapley]

Well, yeah, but it's not bizarre compared to the rest of that flaming hell-hole.

[Balog]

Well, yeah, but it's not bizarre compared to the rest of that flaming hell-hole.

Hence my comment about the whole place being a bazaar of bizarre. 

[MicroBalrog]

The USSR placed methcathinone (a different relative of the same beast) in the drinking water at arms factories. It works marvels.

Rememember a LOT of the health problems with drugs are caused by a. Impurities and b. THe fact drug addicts have an extremely unhealth lifestyle otherwise. A lot more people in the 'functional' echelon of society are doing drugs than commonly thought - likely even some people you met and don't know about it.

[Perd Hapley]

Rememember a LOT of the health problems with drugs are caused by a. Impurities and b. THe fact drug addicts have an extremely unhealth lifestyle otherwise.

That, and taking more of it, I would guess.

[Balog]

If the drug is either not very harmful like pot or you're getting pure doses, then whether or not you enter a negative feedback spiral with it is largely up to the mental health and circumstances of the user. The results are skewed simply because so many folks who use are already in a terrible mental place and using is simply a symptom. A normal, well adjusted person could (assuming it was legal) most likely smoke all kinds of meth without any more chance of it destroying their lives than if they were drinking beer.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Amphetamine is one of the biggest drugs in SE Asia, so not a surprise it's popular in Best Korea.

[Bigjake]

Oh won't it be fun when the Nork.gov finally comes apart and they merge with the south.  Nothing like having a bunch of midget, xenophobic tweakers as citizens (and voters) of your new combined country.  Won't that be fun.

Meh...  Gotta be more fun than Afghan.  Because if it goes that way I'm pretty sure we'll get involved