Two stories from Rio de Janeiro today:

A bill passed yesterday by the Rio state legislative assembly makes it illegal to sell some aromatic solvents and… shoe glue. It seems that shoe glue is a fairly “fun” substance and too many people are taking advantage of its narcotic properties. A wave of muggings by gangs is apparently being blamed on shoe glue sniffing by street kids.

I wonder if there are a lot of shoemakers in Rio? And if so, are they “happy” in their work? And what will they now do for glue, since the ban applies also to shoemakers until a regulatory process can be worked out?

Shoe glue was not on the agenda for six Brazilian men when they robbed a drug store in Rio last Sunday. They were after the drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction… Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. These drugs are sold without prescription in Brazil.

Perhaps that’s the source used by all those spam messages cluttering up my spam-collector email address? I’d prefer a trip to Rio. 🙂