[Mediterraneo10]

Lots of problems with modern Iraq can be blamed on the US invasion, and English-language media is inclined to connect issues with the war because that framing is accessible to their readership. But is there really so much of a connection here? Crystal meth epidemics have arisen among a number of peoples – white South Africans, Thais, in the US both poor Rust Belt inhabitants and some rather affluent gay subcultures, etc. – whose countries have not been invaded recently.

[Synaesthesia]

All of those places have something in common. They all fell from relative affluence or comfort. In South Africa, white people no longer had job guarantees. Iraq had a total collapse of it's society. And the USA has also had a decline or stagnation in middle class incomes.

[tibbydudeza]

Easy to make so it is very cheap and less risky to deal in than crack, coke, heroin which never caught on locally.

There has always been cannabis users but druggies would then juice it up by mixing it with Methaqualone.