Foreign Drug Scenes
- Thread starter TheodoreRoosevelt
- Start date
Drug Scene Greece (Historic Background)
I had posted some Rebetiko music which is Greek drug influenced music (kind of like narco-corridos of mexico). You see Greece gained its independence from Turkey in the eraly 1800s (I think 3/25/1821 is Greek independece day.) Anyway, many ethnic Greeks remained in the Ottoman empire after independence. In world war I Greece was an Allied nation and Turkey allied herself with Germany and Austria-Hungary (the Central Powers.) After the war, being on the victorious side, Greece decided to take it upon itself to reconquer its historic lands from classical times (without consulting her allies.) The deal after the war was a sweet deal for Greece even including the province of Smyrna. The Greeks invaded Turkey made huge gains and commited attrocities. This gave the war weary Turks a new reason to fight and under the guidance of Kamal Attaturk counterattacted and repelled the Greeks. The Greeks ended up losing territory to the turks possessed before the war. Under the terms of the armistance with a population exchange took place with 2 million ethnic Greeks going to Greece, and 500,000 turkish Greek citizens going to Turkey. Anyway, the refugees from Asia Minor (the part of Turkey containing most of the Greeks) experienced cultureshock and resentment. They brought with them the pleasant vices from Asia Minor- Hash smoking in dens (tekedes) that were common in many cities especially pireus, opium smoking, heroin and to a lesser extent cocaine snorting ( aquired from other parts of Europe). Unfortunately the Metaxa government (no friend to the Rebetiko subculture) and WWII put an end to the drug scene. Until the late 60s atleast drug use was very rare. And then the Junta government from 1967-1974 dealt a further crippling blow to the drug scene so was not able to profit from the social changes elsewhere around the globe at the time.
I had posted some Rebetiko music which is Greek drug influenced music (kind of like narco-corridos of mexico). You see Greece gained its independence from Turkey in the eraly 1800s (I think 3/25/1821 is Greek independece day.) Anyway, many ethnic Greeks remained in the Ottoman empire after independence. In world war I Greece was an Allied nation and Turkey allied herself with Germany and Austria-Hungary (the Central Powers.) After the war, being on the victorious side, Greece decided to take it upon itself to reconquer its historic lands from classical times (without consulting her allies.) The deal after the war was a sweet deal for Greece even including the province of Smyrna. The Greeks invaded Turkey made huge gains and commited attrocities. This gave the war weary Turks a new reason to fight and under the guidance of Kamal Attaturk counterattacted and repelled the Greeks. The Greeks ended up losing territory to the turks possessed before the war. Under the terms of the armistance with a population exchange took place with 2 million ethnic Greeks going to Greece, and 500,000 turkish Greek citizens going to Turkey. Anyway, the refugees from Asia Minor (the part of Turkey containing most of the Greeks) experienced cultureshock and resentment. They brought with them the pleasant vices from Asia Minor- Hash smoking in dens (tekedes) that were common in many cities especially pireus, opium smoking, heroin and to a lesser extent cocaine snorting ( aquired from other parts of Europe). Unfortunately the Metaxa government (no friend to the Rebetiko subculture) and WWII put an end to the drug scene. Until the late 60s atleast drug use was very rare. And then the Junta government from 1967-1974 dealt a further crippling blow to the drug scene so was not able to profit from the social changes elsewhere around the globe at the time.
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cl_sullivan
Bluelighter
In sydney I know certain places in the city where you can go meet sum dealers(hang around in groups) who dont have anything on them but you ask em for this or that and theyll ring up a guy who will turn up in like 5 - 10 mins with it. I have gotten to know some of them pretty well so usually ring them up before hand so I can make sure they got what I need. They do most things like cannabis, MDMA, amphetamines, cocain, heroin. I get pills from them but not much else.
Weed I find theres alot of call up dealers, ring them up ask to meet in a place and go meet them there at a designated time.
The other kinds of dealers in sydney are kids trying to get some extra cash. They buy off people who only sell bulk and then sell them too friends. Thats how most of my friends get there drugs. I dont really do that much though cause I have reasonable connections.
Weed I find theres alot of call up dealers, ring them up ask to meet in a place and go meet them there at a designated time.
The other kinds of dealers in sydney are kids trying to get some extra cash. They buy off people who only sell bulk and then sell them too friends. Thats how most of my friends get there drugs. I dont really do that much though cause I have reasonable connections.
Drug Scene Greece (Modern)
Inspite the prevailing view among many, that Greeks are a hard partying group of people that break plates when they get drunk enough, Greece tends to be more of a country of moderation compared to their northern european brethren. These people do know how to live well, though, no doubt about that. Traditionally a person goes to work around 0700 and works until 1200. A siesta as is the tradition in the med, occurs between 1200-1600 where people sleep and chill or go to the beach after a huge leizurely lunch, which is the main meal of the day. Then they work until 1900-2000, everyone then goes home and getts ready to go out. After a leissurely meal everyone goes to either a club, cafe, or taverna. These get going around 22-2300. Around 0100-0200 everyone ends up at the bouzokia were they play Rebetiko like music that is mostly instrumental. Girls tend to be more uninhibited at clubs in contrast to the USA (which isn't saying much). In 90' when a certain song from 91/2 weeks would come on girls would get on the bar and strip totally. Whats crazy is that in contrast to the icelandics for instance, girls don't have to get too fucked up to reach this level of inhibition, in fact hard drinking and public drunkeness is frowned upon. But the crazyest thing is that this party cycle lasting to the wee hours isn't just a weekend thing but repeated five sometimes seven days a week even during the non summer months. Don't know how they do it but they seem healthier and happier than us Americans.%) The influence of other EU nations like Germany have tempered this lifestyle unfortunately
In the same way that sociocultural EtOH paterns emphasize moderation, the story with drugs is similar. Greece has among the lowest lifetime prevelance rates of drug use in the EU. Hash is by far the most used illegal drug and its use has enjoyed greater societal tolerance in recent years. On a trip to Greece in 96' I found that a fair amount of hash was produced within Greece and locals took pride in it. Most cannabis comes from Albania, though. Albanian's are the major minority group in Greece accounting for the majority of illegal immigrants along with many eastern europeans. Russian organized crime also has a strong presense in Greece.
Greece is part of the "Balkan Route" but that doesn't translate to lots of cheap heroin. Heroin, mostly aphgan brown is the primary hard drug abused. Its used primarily in the biggest cities Athens and Thessalonika. Price and purity is right about in the middle, maybe alittle below average. There are opioid substatution centers there which are higher threshold than other parts of Europe. Methadone possession is illegal except when dispensed by a clinic with special permission to do so kind of analogous to a schedule I drug in the US, although schenegen member states are exempt, MMT pts from other countries can run into problems risking importation charge ( I know b/c I was faced with this potential problem in 03' and had to cancel my trip.) This might have changed. IV use of heroin is high as a proportion of other routes relative to other euro countries. There are open street scenes for heroin in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Cocaine has become somewhat of a status drug in the Hellenic Republic prevelant among the hip and organized crime figures. Its price and quality is above average for Europe. ATS very rare with the exception of E. Coke and E are especially found in clubs although foreigners might have a hard time hooking up. There prevelant In the large cities and the hipper islands although there presence is not as ubiquitous or as obvious as in some of the other European countries. The Island of Mykanos that has alot of gay visitors has an especially vibrant E (and probably coke scenes) last I heard. Also being such a popular destination for the global gay party crowd its probably a matter of time before Tina makes an appearance (if she hasn't already established a pinkyhold.)
The Island of Ios which has a drink until blood poissoning insues type of atmosphere ala Mazatlan, San Antoni, lets all act like complete jackasses does not have much of a illegal drug scene last I heard. Hard drinking and fucking in the bushes or in public are the things to do here. Greeks avoid this island like the plague.
In contrast to low prevalence rates of other drug use compared to their European brethren, the drug of choice in Greece by far is tobacco. People smoke everywhere- restaurants, government offices, planes, elevators, ect...
In America it is considered rude to smoke in someones home, or even if the hosts are tobacco smokers, it is considered polite to ask before lighting up. In Greece it is considered rude to ask a person not to smoke in your house. People light up without asking as a matter of course. I think it might have changed but Greece recently had the second highest per capita consumption of cigarettes after China in the world.
Drug laws can be pretty strict but this isn't Turkey and this isn't the Republic of Cyprus (excercise extreem caution with drugs in Cyprus.) What is interesting about the drug laws is that drug offenders are categorized into two types: drug dependent and non drug dependent. What ever drug crime you commit up to and including manufacture and importation, if you are are found to be a drug abuser by the courts then the courts are more lenient in there sentencing because it is considered a mitigating circumstance and a defense against more serious prosecution which is a sensible and humane philosophy in my opinion.
Inspite the prevailing view among many, that Greeks are a hard partying group of people that break plates when they get drunk enough, Greece tends to be more of a country of moderation compared to their northern european brethren. These people do know how to live well, though, no doubt about that. Traditionally a person goes to work around 0700 and works until 1200. A siesta as is the tradition in the med, occurs between 1200-1600 where people sleep and chill or go to the beach after a huge leizurely lunch, which is the main meal of the day. Then they work until 1900-2000, everyone then goes home and getts ready to go out. After a leissurely meal everyone goes to either a club, cafe, or taverna. These get going around 22-2300. Around 0100-0200 everyone ends up at the bouzokia were they play Rebetiko like music that is mostly instrumental. Girls tend to be more uninhibited at clubs in contrast to the USA (which isn't saying much). In 90' when a certain song from 91/2 weeks would come on girls would get on the bar and strip totally. Whats crazy is that in contrast to the icelandics for instance, girls don't have to get too fucked up to reach this level of inhibition, in fact hard drinking and public drunkeness is frowned upon. But the crazyest thing is that this party cycle lasting to the wee hours isn't just a weekend thing but repeated five sometimes seven days a week even during the non summer months. Don't know how they do it but they seem healthier and happier than us Americans.%) The influence of other EU nations like Germany have tempered this lifestyle unfortunately
In the same way that sociocultural EtOH paterns emphasize moderation, the story with drugs is similar. Greece has among the lowest lifetime prevelance rates of drug use in the EU. Hash is by far the most used illegal drug and its use has enjoyed greater societal tolerance in recent years. On a trip to Greece in 96' I found that a fair amount of hash was produced within Greece and locals took pride in it. Most cannabis comes from Albania, though. Albanian's are the major minority group in Greece accounting for the majority of illegal immigrants along with many eastern europeans. Russian organized crime also has a strong presense in Greece.
Greece is part of the "Balkan Route" but that doesn't translate to lots of cheap heroin. Heroin, mostly aphgan brown is the primary hard drug abused. Its used primarily in the biggest cities Athens and Thessalonika. Price and purity is right about in the middle, maybe alittle below average. There are opioid substatution centers there which are higher threshold than other parts of Europe. Methadone possession is illegal except when dispensed by a clinic with special permission to do so kind of analogous to a schedule I drug in the US, although schenegen member states are exempt, MMT pts from other countries can run into problems risking importation charge ( I know b/c I was faced with this potential problem in 03' and had to cancel my trip.) This might have changed. IV use of heroin is high as a proportion of other routes relative to other euro countries. There are open street scenes for heroin in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Cocaine has become somewhat of a status drug in the Hellenic Republic prevelant among the hip and organized crime figures. Its price and quality is above average for Europe. ATS very rare with the exception of E. Coke and E are especially found in clubs although foreigners might have a hard time hooking up. There prevelant In the large cities and the hipper islands although there presence is not as ubiquitous or as obvious as in some of the other European countries. The Island of Mykanos that has alot of gay visitors has an especially vibrant E (and probably coke scenes) last I heard. Also being such a popular destination for the global gay party crowd its probably a matter of time before Tina makes an appearance (if she hasn't already established a pinkyhold.)
The Island of Ios which has a drink until blood poissoning insues type of atmosphere ala Mazatlan, San Antoni, lets all act like complete jackasses does not have much of a illegal drug scene last I heard. Hard drinking and fucking in the bushes or in public are the things to do here. Greeks avoid this island like the plague.
In contrast to low prevalence rates of other drug use compared to their European brethren, the drug of choice in Greece by far is tobacco. People smoke everywhere- restaurants, government offices, planes, elevators, ect...
In America it is considered rude to smoke in someones home, or even if the hosts are tobacco smokers, it is considered polite to ask before lighting up. In Greece it is considered rude to ask a person not to smoke in your house. People light up without asking as a matter of course. I think it might have changed but Greece recently had the second highest per capita consumption of cigarettes after China in the world.
Drug laws can be pretty strict but this isn't Turkey and this isn't the Republic of Cyprus (excercise extreem caution with drugs in Cyprus.) What is interesting about the drug laws is that drug offenders are categorized into two types: drug dependent and non drug dependent. What ever drug crime you commit up to and including manufacture and importation, if you are are found to be a drug abuser by the courts then the courts are more lenient in there sentencing because it is considered a mitigating circumstance and a defense against more serious prosecution which is a sensible and humane philosophy in my opinion.
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null_null
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2003
- Messages
- 452
i had a greek heroin dealer for a long time.
he and his other greek friend told me that
heroin is very popular in greece.
as popular as weed is in other countries.
they said especially the youth likes heroin
and the that quality is better compared to
northern europe.
albania is a important transitland for heroin,
so a lot of stuff enters greece from the albanian
border.
he and his other greek friend told me that
heroin is very popular in greece.
as popular as weed is in other countries.
they said especially the youth likes heroin
and the that quality is better compared to
northern europe.
albania is a important transitland for heroin,
so a lot of stuff enters greece from the albanian
border.
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Thia info is about a year or so out of date, maybe someone on this board has more current info on the scene in Baja.
In TJ all kinds of different drugs are available like cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and methamphetamine. Lots of pharms too and ketamine.
Cocaine is called coca or cocaina and rock is available.
Heroin is called Chiva. There is a ave adjacent to the Tijuana River that is a center for the chiva scene.
Meth is Globitas. It is sold out in the open in many places. There are drug kiosks called "tiendenitas" were it can be found.
The "Zona Norte" is the part of TJ that has the largest open drug scene. This is also the center of prostitution in the city.
There was a bar (without saying which one) that was a block from a police station that was a thriving spot.
Avenida La Revolution- the main drag has tons of pharmacies and people trying to hustle you saying they know were to get vics, chiva, ect...Probably rip offs or busts is my guess.
Heard of E for sale in TJ and beach resort of Rosirito- Don't know about quality, probably bad.
It used to be for pharms would have to get a dr- would pay and then got script. Would only usually get equivalent of schedule V-III US. But found a pharmacy near boarder that was selling all kinds of stuff without Rx. That place was still doing this as of 2006 last I checked. Now I think there are alot more places willing to sell without Rx. Even herd that Globitas was being slanged out of some.
Vet Pharmacies in Mex too- places to get Ketamine- Don't know if its still possible to get down there, though. Last I heard there were some kind of problems.
PCP isn't common but I heard it called "sherma" down there so its around.
Was a street in Rosorito that was a side street that had dealers hanging out in the open a couple years ago. Friends hooked up some decent coke there.
Not in Baja- In Sonora, Rocky Point on the Sea of Cortes, kind of the beach for the residents of Arizona had a small cannabis scene. Typical mexican weed. The guys selling fireworks on the corner usually have "mota" to sell too.
Got stoped by the police here but it only cost $30.00 and I got my buds back.
Thats the thing about mexico, the drug laws are pretty harsh (although they are softening them) but they are applied selectively so paying off the cops like alot of other third world countries will get you out of trouble. But sometimes it wont so be very careful.
Thia info is about a year or so out of date, maybe someone on this board has more current info on the scene in Baja.
In TJ all kinds of different drugs are available like cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and methamphetamine. Lots of pharms too and ketamine.
Cocaine is called coca or cocaina and rock is available.
Heroin is called Chiva. There is a ave adjacent to the Tijuana River that is a center for the chiva scene.
Meth is Globitas. It is sold out in the open in many places. There are drug kiosks called "tiendenitas" were it can be found.
The "Zona Norte" is the part of TJ that has the largest open drug scene. This is also the center of prostitution in the city.
There was a bar (without saying which one) that was a block from a police station that was a thriving spot.
Avenida La Revolution- the main drag has tons of pharmacies and people trying to hustle you saying they know were to get vics, chiva, ect...Probably rip offs or busts is my guess.
Heard of E for sale in TJ and beach resort of Rosirito- Don't know about quality, probably bad.
It used to be for pharms would have to get a dr- would pay and then got script. Would only usually get equivalent of schedule V-III US. But found a pharmacy near boarder that was selling all kinds of stuff without Rx. That place was still doing this as of 2006 last I checked. Now I think there are alot more places willing to sell without Rx. Even herd that Globitas was being slanged out of some.
Vet Pharmacies in Mex too- places to get Ketamine- Don't know if its still possible to get down there, though. Last I heard there were some kind of problems.
PCP isn't common but I heard it called "sherma" down there so its around.
Was a street in Rosorito that was a side street that had dealers hanging out in the open a couple years ago. Friends hooked up some decent coke there.
Not in Baja- In Sonora, Rocky Point on the Sea of Cortes, kind of the beach for the residents of Arizona had a small cannabis scene. Typical mexican weed. The guys selling fireworks on the corner usually have "mota" to sell too.
Got stoped by the police here but it only cost $30.00 and I got my buds back.
Thats the thing about mexico, the drug laws are pretty harsh (although they are softening them) but they are applied selectively so paying off the cops like alot of other third world countries will get you out of trouble. But sometimes it wont so be very careful.
Drug Scene South America
I am interested in what the drug scene is like in South America ( not because I'm going its just not much has been documented on BL about that region- which is the purpose of this thread.) Especially interested in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay. Info on the Falklands would be the supper dupper bonus%)- probably not much there- aside from smoking bowls of sheep hair and singing "God Save the Queen."
I am sure that coke and cannabis are pretty big in this region. But what about opiates, E, and especially amphetamine/meth. Posted question in N & S. American DD but only got 1 response without much detail.
I am interested in what the drug scene is like in South America ( not because I'm going its just not much has been documented on BL about that region- which is the purpose of this thread.) Especially interested in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay. Info on the Falklands would be the supper dupper bonus%)- probably not much there- aside from smoking bowls of sheep hair and singing "God Save the Queen."
I am sure that coke and cannabis are pretty big in this region. But what about opiates, E, and especially amphetamine/meth. Posted question in N & S. American DD but only got 1 response without much detail.
!_MDMA_!
Bluelighter
in belarus (same as russia) you can get weed, mdma easy, but they dont have the choice we do, so they use a lot of OTC ways to get high
though u can get heroin easy i'm sure
though u can get heroin easy i'm sure
Here in Costa Rica, most stuff is available, and prices are dependent upon what you're wanting. Some stuff is available OTC, others require a prescription. All narcotics require a scrip, although it's rather easy to find a doc who will write a scrip for you (all pharmacies here are required to have a doc onsight). As far as street drugs, so far, I've encountered ketamine, weed, cocaine, heroin, ecstacy, meth, acid, crack, rohypnol, and ghb. Pretty much all is available here. Weed grows naturally here, so the supply is everywhere. The "problem" drugs (as the media labels them) are crack and cocaine, with crack being first. Since Costa Rica is the first point of transportation for cocaine and heroin from Colombia before it either passes up north to Mexico, or overseas to Europe (and since fisherman are usually paid in coke themselves), blow is excessively abundant here, and at rather cheap prices, and very very nice. I know it's cut, as all blow is, but it's high-quality. Gives you the perfect euphoria, and doesn't leave me fiending for me. In fact, I can do one line of blow, and I'm perfectly fine with that, and not touch the rest of the bag for the rest of the night.
As far as cops are concerned, up to a gram of mota (weed) is decriminalized, and the cops will usually just take it from you, unless you bribe them. All other drugs are completely illegal, but since corruption is so rampant here, a simple bribe will leave them happy, and you with your DOC.
As far as cops are concerned, up to a gram of mota (weed) is decriminalized, and the cops will usually just take it from you, unless you bribe them. All other drugs are completely illegal, but since corruption is so rampant here, a simple bribe will leave them happy, and you with your DOC.
DJ 303
Bluelighter
japan
-ice - strong as hell and a gnarly buzz if ur doin it for the right reasons and not down in nishinari with the needle freaks.
pretty much everythin is available - 2ci influx over past 6 months means true mda/mdma aint easy to come by.
without saying too much everythings available if you know the right people but its very exclusive, im sure i need not disclose the reasons - hierachy - and involvment of the firm in anything thats profitable.
pricey, risky, pure is the way it usually pans out.
thats all i have to say about that.
-ice - strong as hell and a gnarly buzz if ur doin it for the right reasons and not down in nishinari with the needle freaks.
pretty much everythin is available - 2ci influx over past 6 months means true mda/mdma aint easy to come by.
without saying too much everythings available if you know the right people but its very exclusive, im sure i need not disclose the reasons - hierachy - and involvment of the firm in anything thats profitable.
pricey, risky, pure is the way it usually pans out.
thats all i have to say about that.
tyrael
Bluelighter
Nice DJ, thanks. I'm planning on moving there sometime soon. (lived there previously for 6months and visited a few times, loved it!)
MyDoorsAreOpen
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2003
- Messages
- 8,549
Yeah DJ that's what I've heard: gangs keep the Japanese drug market pretty tight. I once read a blog by an American guy who got into the rave scene while he was living in Japan. He said that even at really underground events, the sale of drugs was highly controlled, such that even someone just slinging a few extra pills he had on him risked getting beat up and kicked out.
This must make the prices of anything REALLY high, since it's essentially a monopoly on an island.
This must make the prices of anything REALLY high, since it's essentially a monopoly on an island.
nowdubnvr6
Bluelighter
i went to mexico once cozumel and gave the bartender ten bucks and he handed me ten beers instead of change... Needless to say i got drunk
ControlDenied
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 3,098
^ he ripped you off
I lived in Japan for 2 years back when the RCs used be legal. You could go to the Head Shop and legally buy drugs such as mushies, 2ct7, 2ct4, AMT, 5meodipt. It was a pretty sweet deal.
Ecstasy, coke and hash could be bought on the street in certain places in Shibuya. You just had to keep an eye out for any Nigerian looking guys who were standing round doing nothing.
Ecstasy, coke and hash could be bought on the street in certain places in Shibuya. You just had to keep an eye out for any Nigerian looking guys who were standing round doing nothing.
Information on drugs in Asia
I've done a bit of traveling and have used drugs frequently overseas, so I thought this might be of interest. I wrote it 2007:
Obviously the best policy is to never do drugs in an overseas country or anytime for that matter where you are not happy with all the surrounding circumstances or not willing to be accountable for your actions.
I thought I’d put my thoughts about drugs down as I have travelled Asia reasonably extensively and for prolonged periods. The information that I’m basing all this on is only my own and that of others I have talked to. Everything I say should be taken with a large grain of salt.
The first really important thing to understand about drugs in Asia is the penalty associated with being caught with drugs on you. The penalties are very severe and if you are caught trafficking drugs into Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore or Bali the death penalty can (and has been) requested. The NZ embassy can do very little for you if you are caught and at he very least you will be looking at a jail time for a minimum of 5 years. Usually the amount and the kind of drugs are of little concern and a few joints will carry the same sentence as Heroin. I read a book called “The Damage Done” by an Aussie who was caught trafficking Heroin and spent 12 years in The Bangkok Hilton (jail). If anyone is contemplating actually bringing drugs home please read this book first! Another good book to read about life in a Thailand jail is "Welcome to Hell" by Colin Martin. Even possession is a major problem in a lot of countries. Possession of any drugs in Malaysia or Singapore can result in the death penalty being handed down. I heard a case in 1986 where this happened to two Australians over bit of weed.
I hardly saw any police while traveling and no one has told me about them actively searching for foreigners doing drugs. However, this does not mean that you can openly take drugs throughout Asia and never expect to be thrown into jail or worse for your efforts. In Thailand, the police actively patrol the Full Moon Party and try to sell foreigners drugs, promptly arresting them if they want to buy. This is the same with police in Cambodia on the road borders. I was offered Marijuana at the Ang Koh Temples by a policeman who even showed me his badge as if to reassure me it was OK. I have heard this from a few people crossing the land border of police doing the same thing. Going over boarder between countries I have heard a few stories of foreigners and bags being searched and if drugs are found this will be a major problem. At the very least money will pass hands and you’ll be a lot worse of for the experience. If caught at airports there’s no way you can pay anyone off and you’ll be spending time in jail.
Paying off police when caught with drugs is a possibility in many places but NOT in Malaysia, Japan or Singapore. Again, if caught at airports there are no chances of paying someone off and the NZ Embassy will be of little help. In Thailand the police are paid a bonus for catching foreigners with drugs so the cost of paying them off is noticeably higher than the neighboring countries. If caught in Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia, because these countries are so poor the cost is generally a lot cheaper and could even come down to a smile and some cigarettes. But, this is not guaranteed and more often than not you will lose a fair chunk of money or be looking at jail time.
Thailand
Weed seems to be available throughout Thailand but the only place I saw people smoking it openly were in the Islands is Southern Thailand. Even there, it was never done on the beach or directly in the publics view but at the guesthouses where people were staying. It seems unlikely that the police would do anything to you unless you were already in trouble. Then they’d probably prosecute you for this and you’d get a fine of at least $400 plus potential jail time (Lonely Planet 2001).
Buying ecstasy in Thailand is usually like playing Russian roulette and something that should be avoided unless you have a reliable source. Widely available on the Southern Islands, but many people are selling well pressed, stamped pills which turn out to be absolutely nothing or very weak ecstasy. The prices are the highest I have heard of bar Australia and NZ. Especially on Koh Samui even second beach seller tries to sell you a myriad of drugs but unfortunately most are nothing like they claim and you’re almost better off flushing the cash down the toilet. The local foreigners I talked to all said that the police are really cracking down on E in Thailand and a lot of people trafficking have been arrested recently. On Koh Phangang (The Full Moon Party) nearly no one knew where to get pills and a lot of stories suggested that half of the people selling E at the parties are police while the other half are not selling E. BUT, genuine MDMA caps, mushroom shakes and weed ARE available at some of the bars around Koh Phangang where there is no police pressence. As a general rule, don't buy drugs from strangers on the beach as you're risking being arrested and/or ripped off, and if you're buying them over a bar, try to talk to people who've already done it.
Coke is available mainly on some of the Islands in Southern Thailand. Whilst the coke is actually coke it is weak. However the price does reflect that although it is not dirt cheap.
Mushrooms are widely available in Southern Thailand and can be bought in cafes and restaurants. As long as consumed on the premises there seems to be no legal risk here.
Yaba Yaba is a general name for a substance close to P. Seems to be available in Bangkok (as the locals use it a lot) but I didn't talk to any foreigners who’d had any experience with it.
Laos
Only drugs available in Laos are weed, mushrooms and Opium. Vang Vieng and Nong Kiaoh seem to be the drug capitals of Laos. In Vientiane and the Luang Prabang there are less drugs but they are available after a search. The weed is about the same quality throughout Laos, which is good but not brilliant. It is openly smoked at guesthouses and in some cafes restaurants. Asking first seems to be a reliable way of finding out if it’s OK. When tubing down the river in Vang Vieng most of the bars try to sell you joints containing good quality weed for a fairly tiny price by anyone’s standards. Police are very rare in Laos yet if caught, the penalties for drug use are the same as other SE Asian countries. Opium is more available in Northern Laos and along with weed is sold cheaply. Mushrooms are sold from a few restaurants, and if consumed within the restaurant seem to be legally OK.
Vietnam
Drugs in Vietnam are easily accessible in Saigon, & Sapa in Northern Vietnam, and are commonly sold to tourists by scooter drivers and locals hanging out on street corners. Although the police do not seem to be too vigilant about catching tourists with drugs, expect to run into a lot of problems if you're caught. Best case scenario will see you handing over a fair bit of money to see the charges and jail time go away.
Weed and Opium seem to be available throughout Vietnam but more so in Sapa and the larger cities like Saigon and Hanoi. In Sapa the hill tribes continuously offer weed and Opium to foreigners. The Opium is commonly smoked but the amount required to feel good usually results in a headache before any high. The weed is not as good as Laos but OK. Expect to buy bush buds for a reasonable price after some gentle negotiations.
Ecstasy is available, and sometimes will be authentic, but should be bought with caution as pills containing nothing are commonly sold as ecstasy. Ecstasy is almost not worth looking for in Vietnam, as stories abound of travelers getting scammed.
Smokable heroin is available in Saigon, but is not very potent.
Yaba, the Asian equivalent of P, is available, but people will try pass of anything as yaba and it's a very real possibility you'll be buying something that be a laxative or heart medication.
As a general rule of thumb in Vietnam, the only drugs that are authentic are weed, opium and heroin. Ecstasy is available, but only if you have areliable sourse. Buying off the street from a stranger, you run the very real risk of buying something which will have none of the desired effects.
Cambodia
You name it you can get it in Cambodia, especially in Phnom Penh. Problem is that everything apart from weed is almost certainly not real. The weed you can buy in Cambodia can be of very good quality and the prices are amazing after a bit of gently bargaining. I have heard stories of people buying pills in Phnom Penh, which turned out to be nothing. The dealer gave them more, which again, were not E. On the upside, the cost was very low. Heroin is available in Cambodia but the only high person I saw/heard of was a Yank with disgusting needle marks up his arm who was begging for money to buy more. There were signs warning about him in most bars. Mushroom shakes are widely available throughout Cambodia.
The police in Cambodia can be paid off for drugs but potentially you could be seeing a jail cell if caught. I have heard many stories of Cambodian Police selling weed on border crossings into Cambodia and at the Ang Koh Temples, only to arrest the person afterwards and demand money in return for their freedom.
India
Drugs are widely available in India, especially in the party areas on the West Coast and up North. They're really cheap, and if you have a reliable source almost always of a good quality.
Hash seems to be widely available throughout India and is commonly offered to you by a wide range of people. The hash is of a decent quality, and bhang lassis (a yoghurt drink with hash in it) are sold at some cafes. Marijuana leaf and buds are also available, but not overly strong. Most people seem to smoke weed or hash with tobacco.
Manali is widely renowned as producing some of the best hash in the world, and it's sold my nearly every man and his dog. However, the police are known to take a hard line with any foreigners caught with this, and the jail sentences sit at around 10 years for possession. Bribery is the done thing with police in India, but don't expect to be able to get away cheaply!
Ecstasy and coke are widely available in the party areas of Southern India such as Goa. Be warned though, the police are cracking down on this, and there are a lot of foreigners serving sentences for drug usage in Indian jails. From what I've heard the ecstasy pills/caps are definately the real deal, as is the coke, although it (the coke) doesn't sound like it's very strong.
Ketamine is available over the counter at most pharmacies.
Japan
You name it you can get it in Tokyo. The ecstasy is fantastic, the coke will blow your socks off and the hash isn't too bad either. Green marijuana leaf/buds seem to be harder to come by and is expensive.
Drugs are less available in other cities, but you can find them in Osaka, although they will cost more than Tokyo.
The Yakuza (Japanese mafia) control the drugs in Tokyo and are behind the Nigerian guys selling them on the streets in Tokyo. The police seem to turn a blind eye to the drug dealers, but this certainly won't be the case if they find drugs on you. Even for possession of small quantities of drugs, you're likely to see at least 2 months in a Japanese jail after which you'll be expelled from the country and never be able to return. It is VERY unlikely you'll ever have any issues with the Japanese police about drugs as they do not seem to actively look for drugs users at clubs/parties. However, if you have an altercation with them and they find drugs on you, this will be a huge problem.
Many clubs in Tokyo have bouncers who frisk/search you quickly when entering the club. If at any time you are found with drugs on you, or are blatantly staggering around out of it, you will have drugs confiscated and be thrown out. Clubs have signs saying police will be notified if you are caught with drugs, but I have never heard of this happening.
Outdoor dance parties, which are prevalent in Spring & Summer in Japan, seem to be realtively safe places to buy and consume drugs. Police do turn up sometimes due to noise, but I have never seen anyone harrassed, searched or arrested.
Well, that’s about all I have found out on my travels. Please pay heed to the warnings and remember that all I have said doesn’t amount to a lot. If you choose to do drugs in Asia there is a very real risk associated with this and subsequent severe penalties in many countries.
Take care and be safe.
Peace.
I've done a bit of traveling and have used drugs frequently overseas, so I thought this might be of interest. I wrote it 2007:
Obviously the best policy is to never do drugs in an overseas country or anytime for that matter where you are not happy with all the surrounding circumstances or not willing to be accountable for your actions.
I thought I’d put my thoughts about drugs down as I have travelled Asia reasonably extensively and for prolonged periods. The information that I’m basing all this on is only my own and that of others I have talked to. Everything I say should be taken with a large grain of salt.
The first really important thing to understand about drugs in Asia is the penalty associated with being caught with drugs on you. The penalties are very severe and if you are caught trafficking drugs into Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore or Bali the death penalty can (and has been) requested. The NZ embassy can do very little for you if you are caught and at he very least you will be looking at a jail time for a minimum of 5 years. Usually the amount and the kind of drugs are of little concern and a few joints will carry the same sentence as Heroin. I read a book called “The Damage Done” by an Aussie who was caught trafficking Heroin and spent 12 years in The Bangkok Hilton (jail). If anyone is contemplating actually bringing drugs home please read this book first! Another good book to read about life in a Thailand jail is "Welcome to Hell" by Colin Martin. Even possession is a major problem in a lot of countries. Possession of any drugs in Malaysia or Singapore can result in the death penalty being handed down. I heard a case in 1986 where this happened to two Australians over bit of weed.
I hardly saw any police while traveling and no one has told me about them actively searching for foreigners doing drugs. However, this does not mean that you can openly take drugs throughout Asia and never expect to be thrown into jail or worse for your efforts. In Thailand, the police actively patrol the Full Moon Party and try to sell foreigners drugs, promptly arresting them if they want to buy. This is the same with police in Cambodia on the road borders. I was offered Marijuana at the Ang Koh Temples by a policeman who even showed me his badge as if to reassure me it was OK. I have heard this from a few people crossing the land border of police doing the same thing. Going over boarder between countries I have heard a few stories of foreigners and bags being searched and if drugs are found this will be a major problem. At the very least money will pass hands and you’ll be a lot worse of for the experience. If caught at airports there’s no way you can pay anyone off and you’ll be spending time in jail.
Paying off police when caught with drugs is a possibility in many places but NOT in Malaysia, Japan or Singapore. Again, if caught at airports there are no chances of paying someone off and the NZ Embassy will be of little help. In Thailand the police are paid a bonus for catching foreigners with drugs so the cost of paying them off is noticeably higher than the neighboring countries. If caught in Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia, because these countries are so poor the cost is generally a lot cheaper and could even come down to a smile and some cigarettes. But, this is not guaranteed and more often than not you will lose a fair chunk of money or be looking at jail time.
Thailand
Weed seems to be available throughout Thailand but the only place I saw people smoking it openly were in the Islands is Southern Thailand. Even there, it was never done on the beach or directly in the publics view but at the guesthouses where people were staying. It seems unlikely that the police would do anything to you unless you were already in trouble. Then they’d probably prosecute you for this and you’d get a fine of at least $400 plus potential jail time (Lonely Planet 2001).
Buying ecstasy in Thailand is usually like playing Russian roulette and something that should be avoided unless you have a reliable source. Widely available on the Southern Islands, but many people are selling well pressed, stamped pills which turn out to be absolutely nothing or very weak ecstasy. The prices are the highest I have heard of bar Australia and NZ. Especially on Koh Samui even second beach seller tries to sell you a myriad of drugs but unfortunately most are nothing like they claim and you’re almost better off flushing the cash down the toilet. The local foreigners I talked to all said that the police are really cracking down on E in Thailand and a lot of people trafficking have been arrested recently. On Koh Phangang (The Full Moon Party) nearly no one knew where to get pills and a lot of stories suggested that half of the people selling E at the parties are police while the other half are not selling E. BUT, genuine MDMA caps, mushroom shakes and weed ARE available at some of the bars around Koh Phangang where there is no police pressence. As a general rule, don't buy drugs from strangers on the beach as you're risking being arrested and/or ripped off, and if you're buying them over a bar, try to talk to people who've already done it.
Coke is available mainly on some of the Islands in Southern Thailand. Whilst the coke is actually coke it is weak. However the price does reflect that although it is not dirt cheap.
Mushrooms are widely available in Southern Thailand and can be bought in cafes and restaurants. As long as consumed on the premises there seems to be no legal risk here.
Yaba Yaba is a general name for a substance close to P. Seems to be available in Bangkok (as the locals use it a lot) but I didn't talk to any foreigners who’d had any experience with it.
Laos
Only drugs available in Laos are weed, mushrooms and Opium. Vang Vieng and Nong Kiaoh seem to be the drug capitals of Laos. In Vientiane and the Luang Prabang there are less drugs but they are available after a search. The weed is about the same quality throughout Laos, which is good but not brilliant. It is openly smoked at guesthouses and in some cafes restaurants. Asking first seems to be a reliable way of finding out if it’s OK. When tubing down the river in Vang Vieng most of the bars try to sell you joints containing good quality weed for a fairly tiny price by anyone’s standards. Police are very rare in Laos yet if caught, the penalties for drug use are the same as other SE Asian countries. Opium is more available in Northern Laos and along with weed is sold cheaply. Mushrooms are sold from a few restaurants, and if consumed within the restaurant seem to be legally OK.
Vietnam
Drugs in Vietnam are easily accessible in Saigon, & Sapa in Northern Vietnam, and are commonly sold to tourists by scooter drivers and locals hanging out on street corners. Although the police do not seem to be too vigilant about catching tourists with drugs, expect to run into a lot of problems if you're caught. Best case scenario will see you handing over a fair bit of money to see the charges and jail time go away.
Weed and Opium seem to be available throughout Vietnam but more so in Sapa and the larger cities like Saigon and Hanoi. In Sapa the hill tribes continuously offer weed and Opium to foreigners. The Opium is commonly smoked but the amount required to feel good usually results in a headache before any high. The weed is not as good as Laos but OK. Expect to buy bush buds for a reasonable price after some gentle negotiations.
Ecstasy is available, and sometimes will be authentic, but should be bought with caution as pills containing nothing are commonly sold as ecstasy. Ecstasy is almost not worth looking for in Vietnam, as stories abound of travelers getting scammed.
Smokable heroin is available in Saigon, but is not very potent.
Yaba, the Asian equivalent of P, is available, but people will try pass of anything as yaba and it's a very real possibility you'll be buying something that be a laxative or heart medication.
As a general rule of thumb in Vietnam, the only drugs that are authentic are weed, opium and heroin. Ecstasy is available, but only if you have areliable sourse. Buying off the street from a stranger, you run the very real risk of buying something which will have none of the desired effects.
Cambodia
You name it you can get it in Cambodia, especially in Phnom Penh. Problem is that everything apart from weed is almost certainly not real. The weed you can buy in Cambodia can be of very good quality and the prices are amazing after a bit of gently bargaining. I have heard stories of people buying pills in Phnom Penh, which turned out to be nothing. The dealer gave them more, which again, were not E. On the upside, the cost was very low. Heroin is available in Cambodia but the only high person I saw/heard of was a Yank with disgusting needle marks up his arm who was begging for money to buy more. There were signs warning about him in most bars. Mushroom shakes are widely available throughout Cambodia.
The police in Cambodia can be paid off for drugs but potentially you could be seeing a jail cell if caught. I have heard many stories of Cambodian Police selling weed on border crossings into Cambodia and at the Ang Koh Temples, only to arrest the person afterwards and demand money in return for their freedom.
India
Drugs are widely available in India, especially in the party areas on the West Coast and up North. They're really cheap, and if you have a reliable source almost always of a good quality.
Hash seems to be widely available throughout India and is commonly offered to you by a wide range of people. The hash is of a decent quality, and bhang lassis (a yoghurt drink with hash in it) are sold at some cafes. Marijuana leaf and buds are also available, but not overly strong. Most people seem to smoke weed or hash with tobacco.
Manali is widely renowned as producing some of the best hash in the world, and it's sold my nearly every man and his dog. However, the police are known to take a hard line with any foreigners caught with this, and the jail sentences sit at around 10 years for possession. Bribery is the done thing with police in India, but don't expect to be able to get away cheaply!
Ecstasy and coke are widely available in the party areas of Southern India such as Goa. Be warned though, the police are cracking down on this, and there are a lot of foreigners serving sentences for drug usage in Indian jails. From what I've heard the ecstasy pills/caps are definately the real deal, as is the coke, although it (the coke) doesn't sound like it's very strong.
Ketamine is available over the counter at most pharmacies.
Japan
You name it you can get it in Tokyo. The ecstasy is fantastic, the coke will blow your socks off and the hash isn't too bad either. Green marijuana leaf/buds seem to be harder to come by and is expensive.
Drugs are less available in other cities, but you can find them in Osaka, although they will cost more than Tokyo.
The Yakuza (Japanese mafia) control the drugs in Tokyo and are behind the Nigerian guys selling them on the streets in Tokyo. The police seem to turn a blind eye to the drug dealers, but this certainly won't be the case if they find drugs on you. Even for possession of small quantities of drugs, you're likely to see at least 2 months in a Japanese jail after which you'll be expelled from the country and never be able to return. It is VERY unlikely you'll ever have any issues with the Japanese police about drugs as they do not seem to actively look for drugs users at clubs/parties. However, if you have an altercation with them and they find drugs on you, this will be a huge problem.
Many clubs in Tokyo have bouncers who frisk/search you quickly when entering the club. If at any time you are found with drugs on you, or are blatantly staggering around out of it, you will have drugs confiscated and be thrown out. Clubs have signs saying police will be notified if you are caught with drugs, but I have never heard of this happening.
Outdoor dance parties, which are prevalent in Spring & Summer in Japan, seem to be realtively safe places to buy and consume drugs. Police do turn up sometimes due to noise, but I have never seen anyone harrassed, searched or arrested.
Well, that’s about all I have found out on my travels. Please pay heed to the warnings and remember that all I have said doesn’t amount to a lot. If you choose to do drugs in Asia there is a very real risk associated with this and subsequent severe penalties in many countries.
Take care and be safe.
Peace.
HighonLife
Bluelighter
Dankycodone
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,050
Its not pharmacutical its made in labs and has cuts. Most common cut is caffine it aids the process of smoking.
drug_mentor
Bluelight Crew
HighonLife P is what they refer to crystal meth as in NZ. Yaba is methamphetamine pills that are illicitly produced and are smokable.
Great post ItchyNZ, I am curious as to why you did not put this in the foreign drug scenes thread though?
I am kind of surprised by some of the things you wrote, no mention of heroin in Thailand, low quality heroin in Vietnam, lots of fake drugs in Cambodia and Japan having lots of drugs readily available. I am not disputing what you have said as I have no experience there myself but some of that is contadictory to what I have been lead to believe.
Great post ItchyNZ, I am curious as to why you did not put this in the foreign drug scenes thread though?
I am kind of surprised by some of the things you wrote, no mention of heroin in Thailand, low quality heroin in Vietnam, lots of fake drugs in Cambodia and Japan having lots of drugs readily available. I am not disputing what you have said as I have no experience there myself but some of that is contadictory to what I have been lead to believe.
Sweet P
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2009
- Messages
- 5,243
