In 2021, China exported more than 18,000 tons of caffeine anhydrous powder, representing an increase of over 15% and accounting for 60-70% of the global market.
But why does China control the substance as a psychotropic drug, instead of allowing it to be freely traded? this article will explain why.
In the early 1960s, rural food rations were extremely tight due to grain failures caused by three years of natural disasters, and so some farmers resorted to a “magic trick” to solve the problem – feeding caffeine anhydrous powder to livestock as a veterinary drug, which caused the animals to work tirelessly and also had the unintended side effect of loss of appetite.
Soon after, in some poorer regions, caffeine began to be used by people to suppress appetite and eliminate fatigue so they could keep working. This desperate measure quickly became a worrying health issue.
By the late 1980s, caffeine abuse had become rampant in Shanxi Province and other places, and the underground industry chain of caffeine drugs was becoming more and more sophisticated. The most commonly used drug was “noodles”, which was a stimulant-type psychotropic drug made with sodium benzoate and caffeine in an approximate ratio of 1:1. It started in Hejin County coal mines, but spread to the surrounding areas through truck drivers. In order to be more competitive, drug traffickers around Linfen City added poppy husk and other ingredients to the original recipe, creating an even more addictive form of “noodles” known as “black noodles”.
Beginning in the 1960s with farmers, followed by miners in the 80s, and truck drivers in the 90s, the practice of overdosing on caffeine as a form of refreshment has gradually become commonplace in Shanxi. Even as recent as 2009-2010, when CCTV reporters made surprise visits to Shanxi, it was found that this cheap stimulant had not disappeared despite crackdowns.
What is even more concerning is that in some areas, “noodle” has been found as a component of homemade heroin, greatly increasing its addictiveness and toxicity, and leading to alarming harm.
As the society has advanced, the use of caffeine drugs has changed from a work necessity to a recreational pastime, with ‘bowls of noodles’ drugs being served at weddings as part of tradition. However, this widespread abuse has caused a decline in health in many regions, such as Hejin and Xiangning in Shanxi province. The excessive intake of caffeine can lead to a range of stomach problems due to an overproduction of stomach acid, as well as gastrointestinal and cardiovascular issues. This is all caused by the history of caffeine abuse, which has transformed from animal veterinary medicine to human consumption and from work needs to daily pleasure. In the pursuit of profit, drug dealers disregard morality, while those addicted to the drug often find themselves in a spiral of addiction, until they ultimately fall into ruin.
As much as 93.85 tons of caffeine drugs were destroyed by Harbin Railway’s Public Security Bureau in 2002. The arrested people were escorted by special trains allocated by the railroad.
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