Drug Abuse In the Philippines

1
Drug Abuse In the Philippines

• Kristina Barbee
• Evelyn Magcalas

2
Overview of the Drug Situation in the Philippines

• The Philippines has an ongoing battle against
  illegal drug trafficking and abuse
• Currently, Shabu, a powerfully addictive meth
  stimulant, is the drug of choice of over 90 of
  Filipino drug users
• Reports also indicate Ecstasy Nulbupine
  Hydrochloride use amongst Filipinos
• Tranquillizers such as diazepam and
  flunitrazepam are being abused by Filipino youth

3
Data Treatment

• In 2003 a total of 8,189 cases of drug abuse were
  reported
• 93 were admitted to a residential care
  facilities
• 6.4 went to outpatient centers
• 45.07 were new admissions
• 1.52 were readmitted due to relapse

4
Frequency of Drug Use

• 65.06 Filipinos are said to have been weekly
  drug users
• 19.01 are reported to be daily users.

5
Profile of Center- Based Clients

• In 2003 91.47 of the users were males, with a
  ratio of 11 males to 1 female
• Ages 20-24 were among the highest percent of
  users 22.4)
• Ages 25-29 were among the 2nd highest percentage
  of users (21.7)
• 38.8 of cases were unemployed, 31 were
  employed, and 12 were self- employed

6
Drug Trafficking

• Philippines is becoming one of the main areas for
  drug trafficking
• there have been reports of increasing
  Muslim-based drug operations
• the illicit drug market has successfully gained
  inroads into subcultures of users, into
  collegiate life, and deep into the bowels of
  Philippine rural life, burgeoning into a raging
  epidemic of drug addiction.

7
Current Illicit Drugs Situation

• Today, "Shabu" poses a problem as serious, as
  frightening, as formidable, as any present day
  issue confronting the Filipino society.
• The dug situation is passed prevention.
• Currently in stage of containment as the
  government and law enforcement are trying to come
  up with a solution/plan.  

Youth sniffing drugs from a plastic bag
8
Legislation for Illicit Drugs Control

• 1972 The Dangerous Drugs Act was established
• 2002 The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was
  implemented
• 2002 The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
  (PDEA) was established
• 2002 An Integrated Drug Abuse Data Information
  Network (IDADIN) was created to monitor drug
  use/abuse

9
Government Response to the Problem

• Preventive education programs to dissuade users
  or potential users from experimenting with
  illegal drugs and/or continuing to use them.
• Treatment rehabilitation programs aimed at
  facilitating abstinence
• Intensified campaigns against illegal drugs
  trafficking
• Judicial legislative measures
• National, regional international cooperation to
  fight illegal drug trafficking abuse of
  dangerous drugs.
• Some Philippines political figures are talking
  about drug testing employees of outsourced call
  center workers, others are calling for testing
  university students, and the government is
  currently considering drug testing all government
  employees.
• Drug Information and Action Line (DIAL) was
  created to receive reports and complaints related
  to drug abuse and provide assistance to the
  public on drug-related cases.
• Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
  Director General Dionisio Santiago is also
  pushing for the return of death penalty against
  drug pushers.

10
References

• www.accordplan.net
• www.apaic.org
• www.stuartxchange.com
• http//stopthedrugwar.org