Cubans are finding uses for condoms beyond sex: They are used to fish, ferment wine, fix punctures or even tie up hair. On the Communist-run island where shortages of basic goods have forced locals to become masters of invention, condoms have become the go-to multipurpose tool, writes Reuters.
Cuba’s shops are often bare because of decades of U.S. trade sanctions and a dysfunctional Soviet-style, centralized economy. Imports are usually sold at a steep markup by the state or on the black market. The average state wage is $30 per month, reports Reuters. But condoms, both those domestically produced and imported from Asia, are in relatively bountiful supply, partially thanks to the country’s focus on sexual health, and are cheap. Since they are strong and stretchy, condoms have found applications beyond contraception and protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
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