There are reports of a new anesthetic in Egypt, made locally and may lead to death.
Egypt is witnessing the spread of this cheap drug called estrox, which threatens young people, and is increasingly being used at a rapid pace for cheap prices and can contain pesticides.
Astrox is a powerful drug that mixes tobacco and smokes. Experts say the drug is made in local workshops by adding chemicals normally used by veterinarians to natural herbs such as marjoram. Some add pesticides to increase the effect, but this makes the drug actually more deadly.
People who use this drug talk about causing painful cramps that lead to hallucinations and loss of consciousness. Authorities say the Estrox has killed dozens and caused high crime rates.
"Many of the victims are between the ages of 15 and 20," said Amr Osman, director of the Anti-Drug and Drug Abuse Control Fund.
"Estrox users are around 25 percent of all applicants this year, compared with 4.5 percent in 2017," Osman said.
In the last six months, the proportion of astrox users in Egypt increased to 40% of the total drug addicts, up from 9% of the total earlier this year.
Experts say estrox is a kind of synthetic drug, like that in Western countries more than a decade ago.
| Egypt's Astrox users account for 40% of drug addicts (Reuters) |
"Some are 100 times stronger than others," said Gaste Titi, director of the laboratory and science division at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Egypt.
"The scary thing is not that they are more powerful than cannabis, but most drug users have no idea what they are using.
In September the authorities banned the unauthorized sale of chemicals used in the manufacture of estrox.