The World's Most Bizarre Drug Market | The War on Drugs

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Published 2023-01-24
From poaching endangered shellfish to smoking quaaludes, this is the wild origin story of how meth took over South Africa.

The use of meth, known as Tik, has skyrocketed across South Africa. It's thought that the country might have one of the highest per-capita rates of crystal meth use on earth.

But the wildest twist in the tale is that this may have been ultimately caused by a secret weapons program run by the old apartheid regime itself.

   • World News  

00:00 Intro
00:55 What is Tik?
04:54 The Smokable Quaalude
06:44 Project Coast

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All Comments (21)
  • @CristiandlfDeval
    I started doing drugs since my teenage, got addicted to cocaine. Spent my whole life fighting cocaine addiction. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.
  • @neoncore7346
    that one guy realizing he had bladder cancer in real time was insane
  • So incredibly gut wrenching hearing Hamilton tell the guy with the blood in his urine that it’s known to cause bladder cancer 😞
  • Used to take Mandrax and Quaaludes a lot in my teens and 20s (I'm 54) and tbh methaqualone is infinitely more pleasurable than alcohol. Not hard to see why they were so popular - you'd get this warm, euphoric relaxation - like being drunk but without the unpleasant effects of drunkenness. They lasted maybe four to six hours with no hangover. Mandrax was the trade name for Quaalude in the UK, South Africa, Australia, Asia. After Methaqualone was banned there was Doriden, (Glutetimide) which had the exact same effects but was banned by the late 1980s. Nowadays the closest thing is probably GHB, which feels very similar (except GHB makes people a lot hornier than Quaaludes ever did) Interesting origin story: Quaalude was developed to allow doctors in wartime to get short periods of sleep but to be able to function if they had to be woken up, which was not remotely possible with barbiturates, chloral hydrate, or bromides - the other sleep drugs around at the time.
  • @rayslife4k
    Today I found a bag of meth after two years of being sober. I was holding onto that baggie for two hours, and then I threw it out the window. I’m getting more strong minded. Can’t believe I didn’t smoke that free man I did good.
  • Was so happy to see Hamilton back even for just an instant, I'll keep waiting to see more from him, literally the only reason I check on vice every now and then.
  • @LilBurpee
    That moment when the guy said that he didn't know it caused bladder cancer was heartbreaking 💔
  • As a South African I can confirm that this is very accurate. Also, there is a drug, which I believe is unique to South Africa, called Nyaope. This drug is ravaging our youth and it has spred like wildfire
  • @ghostly265
    Drugs are the easiest escape from reality which is the sad world we live in
  • As a South African, worth highlighting that “Dr Death” was in 2021 still practicing medicine in Cape Town, South Africa.
  • @Estorium
    As a South African, the presenter's pronunciation of Wouter Basson and Tik is hilarious.
  • @MadMrMatter
    Dude, Hamilton is a. DAWG. chilling in those south African trap houses lmao
  • @ssylbi
    Im 20yrs of meth user from malaysia but now im already stop taking or using any drugs. Nomore to Meth😌
  • @orasohum
    I have a friend who's now severely addicted to meth. I've seen him fall deeper & deeper and he's become such a consistent liar, all for the love of the drug. I've had to cut contact with him after 10 years of friendship because he tried to get me involved with it as well. He's lost all respect & I just know his story is not going to end well.
  • I remember several years ago I suffered from severe depression and mental disorder. I was addicted to illicit pills, alcohol, and smoking until I was recommended for psilocybin mushroom treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly I'm 8 years clean now. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against anxiety and depression.
  • @KaleighMacKay
    Wow, you know it’s a bad deal when ur getting paid in drugs not money.
  • @DogMemes86
    Thank you guys, thats what im waiting for. Great work!
  • As a south african, I can confirm this is prolific. There is a huge drug market here, khat, mdma, coke, rocks, mandrax etc etc. Its hectic