When asking for rugby in any of the cities in the Philippines, do not be surprised if you are directed to the nearest hardware store.
Rugby is a popular brand for rubber cement. Rubber cement is a slow drying synthetic adhesive commonly used for making shoes and for sticking together just about anything. Its cheap and readily available.
But it has also gained notoriety as one of the cheapest fix for junkies. A small amount of rugby is placed in a plastic bag and junkies use this bag like an oxygen mask. A few deep inhalations are all it takes for the rugby fume to reach the brain then the ‘high’ begins.
Street urchins frequently get their rugby fix to deaden hunger pangs. Their living a tough existence prowling the streets for alms and leftover food. This misuse of rugby often leads to trouble and some junkies end up doing crime. The latest news is of a junkie that severely mauled and left for dead a girl (a street urchin) who just asked for a bottle of softdrinks and bread after giving him a quickie.
You can see lots of these junkies sniffing yellowed plastic bags in discreet parts of the cities. When spaced out, they dont give a damn who sees them.
The selling of rubber cement was regulated because of its psychotic effects but many are still selling it to minors because of the demand. Their reason is that it was bought for its intended use and what the customer do after buying it is no longer their concern.
