Combating Drugs: Cheap meth gains ground in Myanmar

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Myanmar is the second largest producer of opium in the world. Recently, the country has made strides in combating opium cultivation and the drug is on the decline. But another type of drug is rapidly gaining ground—methamphetamines. Dave Grunebaum has the story.

A recent electronic dance music festival in Yangon. Most of the people in the crowd are in their late-teens and 20s. Along with the music and dancing, many have been using methamphetamines such as yaba and chrystal-meth.

"JACK" FORMER METH USER "It makes you feel active and it makes you much more concentrated."

We've agreed to conceal the identity of this former meth user, so we're calling him "Jack" in this story.

"JACK" FORMER METH USER "There's a major problem with the number of people using meth."

The government puts on displays where it burns confiscated drugs. But the seizures are barely making a dent in the problem. Methamphetamine use is spreading across the country.

"JACK" FORMER METH USER "I can buy everywhere. You can buy in every major city, every minor city, every village you name it you can buy it everywhere."

TROELS VESTER UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS & CRIME "Most districts, provinces districts in Myanmar have reported meth seizures, have reported that it has entered high schools."

For years the top drug issue in Myanmar has been heroin which is derived from opium poppies. However, a recent United Nations reports says there has been a 25-percent decrease in opium cultivation in the country during the past two years.

TROELS VESTER UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS & CRIME "There's different reasons for it one is opium prices are decreasing and in fact we're seeing less demand in opium in the region not just Myanmar and we've seen a switch to a much bigger interest by the users to move to methamphetamine, or yaba as it's called here in the country."

DAVE GRUNEBAUM YANGON "Most of country's illegal drug production takes place in the lawless areas outside of the central government's control in northeastern Myanmar. But the drugs produced there flow across the region."

TROELS VESTER UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS & CRIME "It's crossing the border into Laos crossing the border into China, going to Thailand so it's spreading around the region."

On the streets of Yangon, a pill of yaba can be bought for as little as two-dollars. People say cheap prices and easy access is leading to widespread use.

"JACK" FORMER METH USER "You can find a doctor using meth, you can see a car driver using meth, you can see a college student using meth, you can see even a college teacher using meth."

Jack says he stopped using meth about a year ago because it was destroying his career and personal life. But he points out that for every person who quits several young adults are ready to give it a try.