strawberry ice

[nabraxas]

i just heard about this......i actually think it's quite funny

US drug agencies are warning Australians to brace for a new wave of strawberry-flavoured amphetamines specifically designed to appeal to juvenile taste-buds.

The flavoured drug, known as "strawberry ice", has already proved popular with young addicts in the States, according to US drug enforcement agent Sarah Cullen.

"During the manufacture process, they are cooking it with a strawberry flavouring and some pink reddish food colouring," she reveals on A Current Affair tonight at 6.30pm. "They're manufacturing and pushing them into pills and really they’re marketed towards kids."

Cullen also warns that Australia’s wide open spaces could lead to the kind of easy "superlabs" which operate all over the US.

The labs can be set up or disassembled in a matter of hours with minimal equipment, Cullen said. The equipment used to set up the lab can fit into a suitcase.

"We might not be able to get vehicles close enough to see it (the lab) without being detected," she said.

High-level security at the drug labs allows their operators to know when police or other law enforcement agencies are watching them and shut down quickly.

"A lot of the times these labs will have booby traps or their own surveillance equipment set up to watch people who might come and check it out."

The Us took too long to confront ice's devastating effect on users, crime and society, says agent Cullen. She warns Australia against becoming complacent.

"This is something you'll never stop. We're at the US/Mexico border, where every day and night drug mules are lining up here to smuggle ice in from Tijuana," agent Cullen said. "Australian authorities have a similar problem, the only the difference is our international enemy in the crystal meth war is China."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=253002

[AndyAmine.]

Interesting... so in the US they are making Yabba tablets in house now..

In Thailand you can get all kinds of flavours and colors, orange, strawberry, grape etc... one can either eat them or they can break of bits and smoke it on foil etc.

Only heard of white ones in australia tho.

[Ace]

So when are they going to make 'vanilla ice'? Sorry, lame joke, but had to be made

[dqd]

i just heard about this......i actually think it's quite funny

Which part? When West Coast Cooler came on the scene it generated a new younger generation of 'hip' alcoholics who could afford, (translation - would spend more to impress ), better than a pigbag of fruity lexia ... I was one of them. Flavoured goey will do the same. Hands up all the parents that want to deal with an amphet-psychosed 10 year old? To think that it wouldn't hit that age group and lower would be naive I feel, seen other drugs do it.

I don't want to be searching my daughters bag for goey while she's still in primary school... at least as a teenager she will have more experience and maturity with which to deal with the issue...

[Torsten]

So when are they going to make 'vanilla ice'? Sorry, lame joke, but had to be made

Yes, it absolutely had to be made ROFL

As for the topic, why flavour if you put it in capsules or pills?

[No_One]

It'd just be for the novelty factor I reckon- kiddies love novelty.

[ENtiTY]

Can you imagine a strawberry with MA overtones.

Good GOD YUK!!

LOL Ace, he'd want royalties for using his name. Or he'd bust a cap yo.

[simon_marklar]

"This is something you'll never stop. We're at the US/Mexico border, where every day and night drug mules are lining up here to smuggle ice in from Tijuana," agent Cullen said. "Australian authorities have a similar problem, the only the difference is our international enemy in the crystal meth war is China."

so if we'll never stop it, perhaps we should look for alternative answers? maybe?

[teonanacatl]

sounds like the dealers will be easy to spot, mickey mouse and donald duck costumes stand out:)

[nabraxas]

Which part?

the whole idea really.

i don't think flavouring speed will make it more attractive to kiddies, they've had cartoon characters on LSD tabs for decades, as well as some cute E tabs, but i doubt kids have been inspired to take either purely on those grounds.

[dqd]

the whole idea really.

i don't think flavouring speed will make it more attractive to kiddies, they've had cartoon characters on LSD tabs for decades, as well as some cute E tabs, but i doubt kids have been inspired to take either purely on those grounds.

Offer a kid a choice of a comic or a small block of chocolate, I think you'll find Mickey & Donald will be on their own . Kids that age will put taste over looks any day, hell, they'll eat chocolate even if it's been moulded to look like a turd . Tiny little pics are eye-candy, but flavour they'll go with, and come back for more.

[Chemical Shaman]

Which part? When West Coast Cooler came on the scene it generated a new younger generation of 'hip' alcoholics who could afford, (translation - would spend more to impress ), better than a pigbag of fruity lexia ... I was one of them. Flavoured goey will do the same. Hands up all the parents that want to deal with an amphet-psychosed 10 year old? To think that it wouldn't hit that age group and lower would be naive I feel, seen other drugs do it.

I don't want to be searching my daughters bag for goey while she's still in primary school... at least as a teenager she will have more experience and maturity with which to deal with the issue...

I understand your concern here and rightly so!!

We should all be not only alert but also alarmed!! For our children and our childrens children.

But I think you need to be less concerned about the kiddies eating those delicious flavoured amphetamines and more concerned about Al-Queda!!! I heard recently that the terrorists are now using hollowed out children as a means to transport their deadly explosive weapons in order to destroy whitey.

Please won't somebody think of the children!!!!

If there was ever a time to be scared, it's right now. It's also tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that!!! Infact if you're not in fear at least 23 out of every 24 hours then you simply aren't reading enough newspaper articles!!

Now I think the only hope lies in 3 things:

1. That our loving and caring protectors (the government) will allocate as much of our tax dollars as possible to The Customs Service. Hopefully one day there won't be single terrorist or drugs smuggler (hell bent on getting our kids hooked on the dope) getting anywhere near this country without a full cavity search and 5 hour long interrogation.

2. That our loving and caring protectors (the government) will allocate as much of our tax dollars as possible to the Australian Police Force. Hopefully one day there will be more police officers than there will be citizens. Imagine how safe our kids will be then!!!

3. The grace of god. With the right amount of praying to our almighty lord and saviour, then maybe.... just maybe.... he will keep our kids safe. If you combine prayer wtih fear then this will increase the effect of prayer exponentially! So please! For the sake of our children! Read as many newspaper articles as you possibly can! And when the media tell you that you need to be scared, then by golly you should be scared!!!

Please........................... somebody think of the children!!

-Chemical Shaman

[Auntyjack]

GOSH DARN"D I think your right ....Citizen CS

But don't forget item 4. ---> there should be nuthin wrong with marrin' yur sister...(MAAA if we get a divorce will you still be my sister??)

[AndyAmine.]

Ive been told that flavour comes through in the smoke as well as the tablets.

Yaba tabs are SUPER bitter and have a bite, so Im sure flavouring would make it a lot nicer to neck or smoke a fist full of tabs..

As I understand it from talking to friends and family I have living in Thailand one of the main user groups of flavoured yabba tabs is the hospitiality, bunny/sailor/skool-girl, prostitution workers who mainly consist of 10-21yr old girls.... and the party/full-moon crowd, so this demo would be much more drawn to flavoured yabba tabs.

Its obviously working for them otherwise they wouldnt bother wiht the added effort and expense.

[dqd]

I understand your concern here and rightly so!!

We should all be not only alert but also alarmed!! For our children and our childrens children.

But I think you need to be less concerned about the kiddies eating those delicious flavoured amphetamines and more concerned about Al-Queda!!! I heard recently that the terrorists are now using hollowed out children as a means to transport their deadly explosive weapons in order to destroy whitey.

Please won't somebody think of the children!!!!

If there was ever a time to be scared, it's right now. It's also tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that!!! Infact if you're not in fear at least 23 out of every 24 hours then you simply aren't reading enough newspaper articles!!

Now I think the only hope lies in 3 things:

1. That our loving and caring protectors (the government) will allocate as much of our tax dollars as possible to The Customs Service. Hopefully one day there won't be single terrorist or drugs smuggler (hell bent on getting our kids hooked on the dope) getting anywhere near this country without a full cavity search and 5 hour long interrogation.

2. That our loving and caring protectors (the government) will allocate as much of our tax dollars as possible to the Australian Police Force. Hopefully one day there will be more police officers than there will be citizens. Imagine how safe our kids will be then!!!

3. The grace of god. With the right amount of praying to our almighty lord and saviour, then maybe.... just maybe.... he will keep our kids safe. If you combine prayer wtih fear then this will increase the effect of prayer exponentially! So please! For the sake of our children! Read as many newspaper articles as you possibly can! And when the media tell you that you need to be scared, then by golly you should be scared!!!

Please........................... somebody think of the children!!

-Chemical Shaman

Over the top response that comes across as immature. I think it's safe to say you have no kids. Even the most open free-thinking parent will think twice about one issue during their child's life.

Children have fewer barriers than us, and can be easily manipulated. If that weren't the case then there would be no successful paedeophiles, and parenting would be a stroll through the proverbial. Kids need supervision constantly during their most formative years, and not just because of stranger danger; they are constantly a danger to themselves, because they lack the experience we adults have developed.

You say you understand my concern... crock of s**t. Being a parent to me is being handed a person that has just come out of my wife and realising my life means nothing, everything I am is now inextricably woven with the tiny child I hold. If you ever become a father/carer you'll understand. I was a step-dad for four years before my daughter was born, and for a further seven after that. I approached parenting the boys as seriously as I approach parenting my daughter. All three still survive, so I must be doing something right. You make fun of me because I'm concerned about a synth that tastes like a lolly making it into primary schools and opening for the first time (in this country at least) a new market/demographic. I'm also concerned about the amount of dvd's she watches, is that stupid too?

What issues are parents allowed to be concerned about cs? Pocket money? Where to go during the hols?

I never mentioned fear, and if you could see my eyes you'd see no fear in them. I do not fear you either.

I have no faith in our government. I have no faith in any government.

I believe in no god.

The rest is just nonsense and not worthy of reply.

What's wrong cs, split up with another gf or the spite gland in need of a workout?

[nabraxas]

dqd---i understand your concern, but surely you can see how much ov a media beat up this story is? 20 years ago there were stories about the evil drug dealers making their LSD tabs w/images ov comic book characters like Superman on them, in an effort to entice the kiddies.

i agree w/you that taste is more attractive than sight, but sight comes before taste.

surely a child that's been well informed about the realities ov drug use is going to consider alot more than taste or visuals before deciding to take speed or LSD?

surely peer pressure & personal circumstances would be much much more ov an influence?

[dqd]

dqd---i understand your concern, but surely you can see how much ov a media beat up this story is? 20 years ago there were stories about the evil drug dealers making their LSD tabs w/images ov comic book characters like Superman on them, in an effort to entice the kiddies.

i agree w/you that taste is more attractive than sight, but sight comes before taste.

surely a child that's been well informed about the realities ov drug use is going to consider alot more than taste or visuals before deciding to take speed or LSD?

surely peer pressure & personal circumstances would be much much more ov an influence?

Quite able to see through media beat-up thanks , with enough brainpower left over to process the core info. I too was around 20 years ago , and saw through the comic-pic issue as I have this issue, through to the core issue, which was a government working the parents as they always have with the 'parental' demographic - through fear-based campaigns. They wanted/want the most vulnerable generation (ie the youngest), brought up hating rec. drugs and accepting taxed drugs like alcohol, nicotine etc, so the goverment can eventually completely phase out anything that is too hard to regulate as an industry. T'was always the way .

Again, If in a legal country if I'd had access to flavoured speed I would try it waaay earlier. Maybe that's just me .

i agree w/you that taste is more attractive than sight, but sight comes before taste.

Agreed, but talk comes before sight . Ever heard of word of mouth advertising?

surely a child that's been well informed about the realities ov drug use is going to consider alot more than taste or visuals before deciding to take speed or LSD?

At what age are you suggesting that process starts? I made it plain I was referring to primary aged children. Should they be teaching 'drug safety' in year 2? Year 3? What you feel is correct may not be agreed with by the moral majority. I agree that drug safety should be taught early, including a knowledge of common pharms of abuse. It seems the majority are against this, and some find comfort in ignorance, the 'they'll take care of me' mentality.

If you are concerned about drug safety enough to keep in mind the education of your child/ren in this area, then you're not all that different than me .

surely peer pressure & personal circumstances would be much much more ov an influence?

Not necessarily in this age group. You are talking about kids on the whole still too young to have formed that many predjudices, the class is still finding it's feet re social norms and the like, in our western world at least. In India they would probably be working now.

My opinions anyway

Have a good one all

[Guest Øskorei]

I can see the flavouring as being an enticement if the original product was so goddamn awful. In instances where the first experience is a negative one due to bad flavour/bad trip/bad side effects, some first time users would simply put the drug down and walk away forever. Can someone PLEASE invent a chocolate San Pedro?

However if the most common method of ice consumption is smoking, there is no specific taste at all (according to a FOAF of course), so I fail to see any long term value adding to be had from altering the taste. I predict that there will be a short-term boom in sales for a year or two until the novelty wears thin, then the market will re-stabilise to previous levels.... well not previous levels, as usage is on the increase, but you get my drift (hopefully).

And that Vanilla-Ice gag really put me under pressure.

[Anodyne]

There are also fentanyl (i.e. "China White") lollipops, although these are actually produced legally by the pharmaceutical company Cephalon!

You make fun of me because I'm concerned about a synth that tastes like a lolly making it into primary schools and opening for the first time (in this country at least) a new market/demographic.

As the very first line of that [obviously sensationalist] article says (albeit indirectly) that this product has never been found in Australia. In fact, the only

reason they have to suspect it may ever make it here is apparently that Australia has lots of "wide open spaces" in which to set up meth labs. The fact that it's a story from A Current Affair should tip you off that it may be over-the-top & not properly researched.

I'm not trying to make light of your parental concerns, just saying that maybe you don't need to panic about this particular one just yet - ACA is hardly a reliable source.

[dqd]

I'll let you know when I'm panicking

def

Don't think any of my remarks fit the bill

Perhaps we should have a war on error!

All's good, make mine a mocha...

[AndyAmine.]

Jst the clarify, incase there is any doubt, flavoured yabba tablets are not a myth or media hype in Thiland, they are very, very common.

[gomaos]

If there was ever a time to be scared, it's right now. It's also tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that!!! Infact if you're not in fear at least 23 out of every 24 hours then you simply aren't reading enough newspaper articles!!

must be the case in my case.

I hardly ever read papers, hardly ever watch the news.

Result: I'm not hyped up enuff about things...

Strawberry ice, flavoured yaba...?

Sure the girls in Thailand like those things, what else have they got?

Instead of going to school, they go to a brothel... gotta make money somehow...

Really people this subject is 90% hype and anti-drug propaganda...

all the more unbelievable as it comes from the same governments who try to stamp out cannabis and mdma which are very useful and user-friendly drugs with minimal harm to the takers (unless people binge which they will do with anything as long as they're young and stupid...)

don't believe the hype!

[XipeTotec]

So when are they going to make 'vanilla ice'? Sorry, lame joke, but had to be made

lol, good one ace

[XipeTotec]

at least as a teenager she will have more experience and maturity with which to deal with the issue...

do you think?

[XipeTotec]

dqd, i think you are being a bit weird about all this... the amount of primary school children with access to or money to spend on drugs of any type is very minimal. I would suggest that if a child in primary school is to take drugs (it isnt unheard of) in this country, it would most likely come from a family source such as parents (god forbid) or older siblings. Also, if a child was after a taste sensation... I think they would be more likely to buy a large icecream, than an minuscule amount of strawberry ice.