The American civil war created anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 drug addicts. The reason was morphine. Doctors knew how to administer it but didn't yet know how addictive it was since it was newly discovered. It's effect was felt decades after the war ended.
One of the most peculiar customs in India is that people eat with their right hand only. The left hand is out of limits because it is used for another purposes-like wiping after using the toilet, instead of using toilet paper.
Oh, HELL YEAH!! Having grown up near NOLA, I can tell you it was well worth it!!
(Actually strange but true fact: despite growing up only an hour from New Orleans, I participated in Mardi Gras festivities only once in my life. And you would be surprised how this is true for many natives. It is similar to the fact that many residents of NYC have never stepped foot in the Empire State Building. More for the tourists and visitors!)