BOMBE

 The inventive manner of finding new ways to get 'high' ....

Would You Put This Up Your Nose?

 .... has probably reached its height in the Democratic Republic of Congo, although as reported before, Russia with is fairly well along the rod with its Krokodile drug.

But in the Democratic Republic of Congo. someone has discovered that if you crush up the honeycomb core of the catalytic converter in a modern exhaust, then mix up the bits with whatever drugs such as heroin or benzodiazepines that are available, supplemented by or replaced by, caffeine, vitamins, sedatives, paracetamol or sleeping pills (in fact the composition varies a lot, but the effect appears to be the same, whatever the mix), you have a snortable and potent drug. 

Once the addict snorts the resultant mix up their nose ... it then induces a zombie like state, leaving the abusers standing upright, but swaying gently for hours in the breeze. One user of the drug claimed that the drug was socially beneficial:  

“We used to drink very strong whiskey … we were restless and we would hurt people.” Adding: “But with bombe, it calms you down, you get tired, you stay somewhere standing up or sitting down for a very long time. When you’re done, you go home without bothering anyone.” 

However this 'discovery', called "bombe" ('powerful') in the local Lingala language, has led to a rash of exhaust thefts across the region, and the authorities (such as they are). have issued a warning that "its not a substance made for us to consume." .... really!