Although Uruguay is one of the safest countries in Latin America, it has seen a rise in crime associated with narcotics. In a survey of more than 8,500 prisoners, a third said they had committed crimes under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and nearly half of those had consumed pasta base. Users may be a tiny minority, but they are often associated with theft and robbery. Although pasta base is a cheap drug at $1 or $2 a hit, addicts need multiple doses.