Think your country sucks?

Think again.

As if it's not enough listening to heartbreaks from Syria, Egypt, and many other war-torn countries, internet once again show me that sufferings come in many form. This time, in the form of a drug called the Devil's Breath from Locombia, I mean, Colombia.

"Do you know why they call it Devil's Breath? Cos it steals your soul."
- Luis Eduardo, victim.

For those who aren't sure which one is Colombia,
it's the one connected to Panama like a fetus.

The locals call it burundanga. For English speakers who can't pronounce it, it's also called Scopolamine.

Odourless, colourless, and tasteless, it can be blown to victim's face without him even knowing he's been drugged. Worse than that, its effect resemble something that come out of Harry Potter world: Victim will be 100% conscious, but without any willpower nor memory. You know when you remember you have $10 in your wallet, but now can't find it and don't remember that you spent it? Well, it's like that, except it's your whole bank account. One of the victims who thought they're being robbed, and reported to the police, were actually shown a video that he himself withdrew all the money and gave it to some strangers. I shudder at the thought of other things bad people can do with this substance.

Worst of all, the plant Borrachero from which this drug can be produced grow freely everywhere in Colombia. The flower is beautiful and the tree looks like any other tree, but one can actually pick any parts of the plant, dip it into hot water and get high from drinking it. It's not so bad, isn't it? Cos weed does the same thing? Well, except you can't get overdose with weed. One single seed of the plant (which is not bigger than 1 cm) can produce 70 mm of Scopolamine, when 1 gram (that'd be 15 seeds) of it can kill 10 to 15 people.

Colombia by itself is a crazy country. Murder, drugs dealing, and prostitution are merely some of the occupations in the country. But, imagine all that with a sprinkle of Scopolamine.
Flashfloods don't sound so bad anymore, eh, Singapore? We choose expensive fuels anytime over this, eh, Indonesia?

If you're interested to know more, here's a thorough 35-minute documentary about the drug and its victims:

Of course, as it is with everything else, it can be used for good things as well. I hope in the near future the higher minds will use the properties of the drug for medical purposes instead, or for anything else mediocre minds like mine can't think of. No, please not euthanasia. Maybe to tame big cats (cheetah as pet, anyone?), or to cure spacesickness as NASA is planning to do.