The most dangerous occurrences of acute poisoning often correlate strongly with periods of severe socio-economic hardship, particularly times of famine, drought, or civil war. These humanitarian crises inevitably lead to desperate measures, where the pressing need for immediate calories and sustenance overrides the lengthy, complex, and time-consuming processing protocols required to ensure safety. In these chaotic, resource-deprived situations, where access to clean water or time is limited, the pressure to eat quickly and the lack of resources to detoxify the roots adequately lead to tragically high levels of dietary cyanide exposure. The presence of cyanide in improperly prepared cassava is directly associated not only with acute cyanide poisoning—which can be rapidly fatal—but also with several chronic, permanent, and debilitating neurological diseases. One of the most feared is konzo. Konzo is medically described as an irreversible spastic paraparesis, meaning a sudden onset paralysis of both legs, often leaving victims permanently disabled. It is scientifically linked to the habitual consumption of the bitter cassava varieties alongside a pre-existing, severe low protein intake, which hinders the body’s natural ability to detoxify the small amounts of cyanide that remain. Konzo is tragically recognized as a devastating disease of extreme poverty and dietary imbalance, crippling entire communities. Its occurrence often flares up in large-scale, horrifying epidemics during times of widespread crisis, but isolated, sporadic cases are also regularly reported, underscoring the constant risk. The long-term effects on communities are devastating, perpetuating the cycle of poverty by removing the ability of adults to work.