Mizzima News(www.mizzima.com)
July 18, 2003

The number of amphetamine users have recently increased in the town of
Tamu on the Indo-Burma border, and the death-rate due to drug overdoses
of the drug has also increased. Amphetines are sold as WY tablets.

It is reported that a Chinese national, known as Chit Thong or Tun Tun, recently passed away due to consuming WY tablets.

in the beginning, amphetamine tablets were produced and distributed
from Mandalay by formal rebel groups that had entered into peace-agreements with the ruling Military regime, such as the UWSA, the MNAA and the KDA. As demand for the WY tablets grew, amphetimine production in the
border region became a lucrative cottage industry.

The said drugs are now produced locally in Tamu township by people
close to Government officials, according to an anonymous local. "There are
individuals who had started producing the tablets in town. In the beginning, it was those organisations that had entered into a peace-agreementthat produced the tablets, but it is different now. People who are close to Military Intelligence [officers] and Governmet officials have also started producing the tablets."

In relation to the purity of the amphetimine being produced, he continued by saying " the tablets, in fact, have a stronger effect than heroin. Within a month, a user will lose an enormous amount of weight and his shape and appearance can change completely. Users under the influence of the drug are completely restless, lose their appetite and cannot seriously concentrate on anything that they do. Once the effect of the drug has worn off, the person is left completely exhausted."

It is also reported that amphetimines are not only being used by males but there are a considerable number of female women users as well. According to an addict, the drug is inhaled as a vapour through a plastic bottle that is half full of water. A hole is made just above the water level where a straw is attached. The ground up tablet is then placed on silver paper and is heated from below, creating smoke. The user then focuses the attached straw on the vapour and starts inhaling through the opening of the bottle, filtering through the water. There have been cases of instant death due to over-inhaling of the drug.

It is reported that a high schol student in tenth standard called Maung
Pho Toe, S/O U Nyo Maung, resident of SandarKu Quarter No.(4) of Tamu
town, was arrested in late May for using the tablets by a Government
official named U Hla Win. Maung Pho Toe had been put in the Tamu town
lock-up and is yet to be trialed and sentenced. A government official
named Soe Win was also reportedly arrested for using the said tablets.

Due to the recent arrest of the tablet users by the military intelligence and police, the drug addicts have come up to Moreh town on the Indian border to freely use the drug. There are over 50–70 people who come to use the drug per day. According to one addict the cost per WYtablet has risen from 15 rupees to 50 rupees due to the high demand.

Locals claim that the wide use of amphetimines has seriously damaged the moral character of the youth in the region.