Health

Doda Drug Bust in Toronto Area $2.5 Million Seized

by Barbara McPherson | March 20, 2010 at 09:27 am

1792 views | 12 Recommendations | 2 comments

Brampton police arrested Bhagat Singh in the course of seizing $2.5 million worth of a little known drug in Canada. The drug is called doda or dode. For most Canadians this is a little known drug but it is gaining popularity in the Indo-Canadian and South Asian communities. There are fears that it will spread to the general population and add another addictive street drug to the toxic stew currently available. It is legal in the Punjab but not in Canada.

Doda is an addictive opiate derived from dried poppy flowers. It is legal in Punjab and became so popular in shops around Peel Region in recent years that some businesses started making home deliveries, said Rajinder Saini, editor-in-chief of Parvasi Weekly in Mississauga and host of Parvasi Radio.

Users believe the drug will keep them awake and increase their sexual performance, Saini said.

Doda is derived from dried poppy plants and tests positive for both codiene and morphine. Health Canada lists it as a controlled substance. The RCMP busted a large scale operation in Surrey last November.

Doda - Poor Man's Heroin
Poppy contains - opium, codiene, morphine

Doda's Effects

The physical and cognitive effects of poppy powder have been reported to include quick, intense feelings of pleasure, followed by a sense of well-being and a calm drowsiness; red eyes; slurred speech; mood swings; constipation; impotence; body aches; loss of appetite and ability to concentrate; potential breathing problems & addiction.

Bottom Line
Doda is a physically addictive drug. Because it is 'natural' and derived from plants, doesn't make it safe to take. And not incidentally, it is illegal and can gain you a criminal record.

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Amy Judd

at 10:02 on March 20th, 2010

Hmm, I've never heard of it.

Mary Richard

at 11:52 on March 20th, 2010

I guess a lot of people, including me, hadn't heard of it. Doda was being imported legally, as a flower.

Brampton City Councillor Vicky Dhillon has been active in alerting people to the dangers posed by dode, which was earlier considered just a flower, or a natural substance, and so could be legally imported.

Police are now taking a hard stance on the use of doda, which may come into Canada legally as a dried flower. The potentially addictive and harmful substance is used in a variety of ways, including mixing a couple of teaspoons with warm water to make tea.