[Ronin]

Though discussed little in public, estimates put Japan's regular drug users in the millions. Amphetamine crystals, known locally as shabu shabu is common, but cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and other narcotics are readily available despite stiff penalties. Japan doesn't differentiate between soft and hard drugs.

I have problems with that paragraph. They are NOT readily available in anything like the sense they are available in America or any other European country.

If you go out looking for them, you can probably find them, but drug users in Japan are almost a completely separate community -- restricted to the entertainment community and the Yakuza set.

I wouldn't have the foggiest idea who to talk to or where to go, myself.

But then, maybe I am just too old and straighlaced for that crap these days.

(He said, sipping his first scotch and water of the weekend.)

[AmericanInTokyo]

I was just going to say, I have heard this criminal substance referred, in Japanese slang and even in the tabloids screaming above the fold just tonight, to as　シャブ (shabu) but not as "shabu shabu" (I guess thats for the no-pan kissa) But what would I know? This is clearly a territory outside of my domain.

So there might be some inaccuracies in that article. Yes.

By the way, believe it or not, the US State Department actually has a "Travelers Advisory" out for Roppongi. Shame it came to that. Ah, the good old years before the riff-raff came in. Fortunately they are being shown the door these days.