Egypt's wave of painkiller addiction
An opiate called tramadol has become increasingly popular in Egypt, but many are unaware of its dangers
Al Jazeera
November 29, 2013
November 29, 2013
Egyptians are using Tramadol as a recreational drug and also, reportedly, as an aphrodisiac. But most commonly, it serves as a cheap energy boost. At $3 for a sheet of ten pills, tramadol is generally affordable even in Egypt's dismal economy, and for many working-class people it has become a solution for the long, arduous workdays. A small-time Cairo drug dealer, who asked to be identified by the pseudonym Mohamed Farafiro, claimed that Egyptians like using the drug because it makes them productive. Sixty percent of Cairo's rehab patients are admitted for tramadol addiction.
