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Glued to hunger

  • 30/01/2005

Glued to hunger The street children in Brazil's capital city of Rio De Janeiro fought hunger with shoe glue; its narcotic properties suppressed hunger. Children sniffing glue from plastic bottles were a common sight in the crime-infested city. But the sale of the glue has been banned now.

"Shoe glue is an extremely strong narcotic and its free sale contributes to the moral degradation of youths and boosts crime levels,' said Paulo Melo, author of a new bill that bans the sale of shoe glue and some aromatic solvents used in paints and lacquers. The bill was recently passed by the state legislative assembly. Melo said the governor will approve it soon.