Cambodia's Jungles Threatened By Ecstasy

PHNOM PENH // The illegal drugs trade is causing significant environmental damage to parts of Cambodia, according to an international aid agency.

In south-west Cambodia the production of sassafras oil, which is used when making the recreational drug ecstasy, is destroying trees, the local inhabitants' livelihoods and wreaking untold ecological damage, according to David Bradfield, an adviser to the Wildlife Sanctuaries Project of Fauna and Flora International, who is based in the area.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[TJCole]

If only our DEA was free from fighting marijuana use and could focus on the really harmful dangerous drugs that kill people..!

[devanate]

Sounds just like the devastation wrought by every industry. They're just making a big deal out of it because it's ecstasy not petrol or textiles or any of the other extremely destructive production processes.

[vjoseph]

Ectasy is an awesome drug. It is not addictive like cocaine and the experience is profound.

[Glowcy]

.
please clarify, vjoseph: are you for or against the devastation wrought by ectasy production?

.

[MarcoEsquandolas]

wow, reading this story made me feel Laos-y

[Sparty1]

Time for a trip to Cambodia. Maybe I can get a bunch for the low-low. Just kidding. :)

[SiberianRat]

Horrible and tragic. I've been to the jungles of Cambodia to see both the temples AND the beautiful nature--true shame that it's being destroyed.

[LolaP]

That sucks so much.

[drjasonmd]

"A year ago the Thai authorities seized more than 50 tonnes of sassafras oil near the Cambodian border on its way to China and the US, according to western anti-narcotics agents who declined to be identified, reported to be worth US$150,000 (Dh550,000)."

50 tons is only worth $150K? $1.50 a pound? Seems a bit off to me.

“Law enforcement is the key to suppressing the illegal trade in sassafras oil...”

Yeah, that'll work.