QRY / Field note
Why do they call it shabu?
The term is onomatopoeic and derives from the sound (whistle) that is emitted when ingredients are shaken in the pot. One of the world's fastest-growing drug problems is “icy or crystalline” methamphetamine.
5.3k

The term is onomatopoeic and derives from the sound (whistle) that is emitted when ingredients are shaken in the pot. One of the world's fastest-growing drug problems is “icy or crystalline” methamphetamine. It is known as shabu in the Philippines, where official estimates suggest that around seven million people, almost 10 percent of the population, use the drug.