It is well known that Greece has sunk into a serious financial crisis that peaked in 2010. During these difficult times, people need some type of an out for their troubles and that is when the drug Sisa made its appearance in the southeastern European nation, specifically the capital, Athens. This is the only drug that is native to this country and it is also known as “the drug of the poor” or “the cocaine of the poor” because of how easy it is to obtain on the streets, even when the economy is crumbling all around.

According to a report in the Greek publication, Kathimerini, Sisa is produced in labs and it is based of methamphetamine, car battery acid, engine oil, shampoo, and salt. The drug is sold for a mere one or two euros, making it extremely affordable for people immersed in a national financial crisis. It is also reportedly easy to use and that is where its nickname comes from.

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How is Sisa Ingested?

Addicts can find the drug for the poor in mobile labs that drive around different areas of Athens looking for vulnerable victims. This makes it extremely difficult for authorities to crack down on distributors.

Sisa can be injected intravenously, smoked, by placing the drug inside a glass pipe or even a piece of aluminum foil to heat it and then inhale the vapors, and snorted. As with other drugs, injecting sisa directly into the bloodstream appears to have the most dangerous consequences for the users.

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What are Sisa’s Side Effects?

According to some reports the most common side effects from becoming addicted to sisa are anxiety, heart palpitation, hallucinations, eating disorders, insomnia, and mental health problems. Sisa appears to also have the negative effect of increasing cases of HIV in Greece, perhaps because it reportedly makes a person more aggressive in their behavior, which can lead to an increase number of sexual encounters without using protection.

Some public health officials also believe that the increase in HIV instances is due to users thinking the drug is used via injection, instead of smoking. This has also led to another crisis due to sisa users found roaming and sleeping off the drug’s effects, on the streets of Athens.

Users of sisa report experiencing feelings of aggression that makes them want to beat innocent people up and steal from them. Others claim they know of people who committed suicide because the drug prevented them from sleeping and eating. In 2011, 95-percent of people who used a local community organization in Athens reported being familiar with sisa, while 69-percent of those same people who were between the ages of 31 and 35-years-old were users of the drug.

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How Do You Become Addicted to Sisa?

Sisa contains methamphetamine, which, according to the National Institute on Drugs, is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that severely affects the central nervous system. Adding methamphetamine to any ingredient can make a person addicted and in the case of sisa, since its easily available and cheap in certain countries, it poses even more dangers for potential users.

While sisa is not known to have reached the United States’ shores yet, it is just a matter of time and authorities are on alert for any presence of this dangerous drug on the streets. If you know someone who has visited Greece and suspect they may have become addicted to a drug like sisa, we encourage you to talk to them about it and refer them to Chapters Capistrano rehabilitation centers. Our website has all the information you need, and we are only a phone call or email away from getting some help.