‘Irresponsible’ Tourists Using Drugs When Exploring South East Asia

Many young travellers have a hedonistic attitude during their visit to exotic countries. Tourists often turn to risky behaviour such as experimenting with illegal drugs when on a vacation in South East Asia. This may be due to a newfound sense of freedom during their travels.

While some might think of recreational substance misuse as harmless fun, being caught in the act can lead to serious consequences! Penalties can be severe and consular assistance is often limited.

Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore have especially harsh rules compared to most countries but it is often too late by the time those caught in possession realize the severity of the actions.

Here are the most common drugs to be aware of during your trip to South East Asia

Opium – Opium is the most common drug available in Asia. For many foreign tourists visiting Thailand, experiencing opium is a part of what makes the trip so much fun and exciting for them. But this can have dangerous consequences as what begins as a harmless experiment can turn into a full blown case of drug addiction. This results in the tourists experimenting with other types of drugs such as prescription painkillers or heroin after they return to their home country.

Prescription Drugs – There are many medications that require a prescription from a doctor in the West, but are available over the counter in South East Asia. Many tourists are led to these habit forming drugs such as tramadol, Ritalin, codeine, morphine, Valium and Xanax during their visit to the region. Viagra and Cialis are also easily to get hold of.

pile of meds

Yaba – Yaba is a very dangerous illegal substance, and is basically is a mix of Methamphetamine and caffeine. Yaba is highly addictive and referred to as the ‘crazy medicine’ or ‘madness drug‘. It can be swallowed as a pill instead of being smoked or injected, and is very easy to take. This makes this banned illegal drug all the more dangerous.


Final thoughts

Think carefully before getting involved with drugs of any kind while in Asia.

Make your travels the adventure of a lifetime – not the biggest mistake of your entire life!