Yaba – or yah bah – is known as the ‘Mad Drug’. It is sweeping the underbelly of many countries, destroying families and killing addicts.

1. Yaba – the killer drug
Yaba – or yah bah – is k o as the Mad D ug . It is sweeping the underbelly of many countries,
destroying families and killing addicts.
This drug was originally known as Ya Ma - Horse Drug. It was given to horses pulling heavy loads up
mountains in the far northern Shan State of Thailand.
Yaba is a deadly mix of methamphetamine and caffeine that is produced in tablet form.
How the drug is used
Yaba tablets are circular and usually coloured red, pink or orange. Addicts take the drug by
swallowing, smoking, snorting or injecting.
If swallowed, the addict finds that the drug can work for about 10 – 12 hours. If smoked, the pill is
placed on aluminium foil, heated from below under a flame, and as it melts the vapour is inhaled
using a straw or pipe. This high can last anywhere between 1 - 3 hours. Some addicts prefer to crush
the ta a d s o t it hile fe e ush it, i it ith a sol e t and inject it. Addicts who inject drugs
p efe the pu e p odu t of i e etha pheta i e o e their drug addiction has reached and
advanced stage.
The High
Ya a use s do t get u h sleep. The d ug keeps the a ake a d ale t fo e te ded pe iods.
Yaba is also highly addictive. One tablet is never enough, neither is too.
The addict experiences euphoria and hot flushes, talks incessantly and gets highly impulsive.
Appetite is killed.
The adverse consequences
After the high, a low follows. The addict gets increasingly irritable, aggressive and is not able to sleep
easily. Some addicts start taking sedatives to calm the low period. The low period can be extremely
depressing.
Yaba damages the smaller blood vessels in the brain. The drug also adversely affects breathing,
blood pressure and heart rate.
Chasing the high
Due to the highly addictive nature of this drug, Yaba users may binge on the drug for days. This
continual use can be dangerous.
Like a typical addict, the Yaba user wants to recreate the original high. This is not possible, but the
addict repeatedly tries in vain to recapture the initial high. This leads to continued use and higher
doses of the drug.
Binges trigger some really uncomfortable effects - hand tremors, hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety,
nervousness, memory loss and confusion. Some addicts lose control and turn violent at the least
provocation.

2. Get help before it s too late
Yaba addiction is difficult to overcome. Huge cravings will overpower any willpower. The typical
addi ti e thought of just o e o e ill ou te a de isio to uit.
The addict needs professional support in a protected environment. Do t hesitate to seek help. The
ea lie the ette . The e s o sha e i seeki g help. The d ug dest o s fa ilies and kills the addict.
Get help efo e it s too late.
A residential rehab is ideal. The addict is first detoxed with withdrawal management. An extended
stay will help restore balance in physical and mental health.
It’s your life or the life of a loved one. You need to act fast.
In Asia, Hope Trust rehab (est. 2002) is a proven destination for safe, effective and confidential
treatment of addiction.