MODULE ON DRUG EDUC AND VICE CONTROL.

docx

Subject:

DRUG EDUCATION AND VICE CONTROL

UNIT 1

Module 1:

Introduction to Drugs

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lecture. The students will be able to:

a. Gain a basic understanding of drugs, specifically its definition, types, and effects on the body.

b. Understand the history of drugs as well as local and international trends in the illegal drug trade.

c. Identify the top 10 most commonly used illegal drugs worldwide and the routes by which they are
sold in Philippines and abroad.

A brief history of Drug Use

For thousands of years, human have used various types of drugs and other intoxicating substances. For
example, the consumption of wine was tracked from the early Egyptians; narcotics was used by as early
as 4000 B.C and the use of marijuana in china for medicinal purposes can be traced to as far back as
2737 B.C. However, it was not until the 19th century A.D. when the active substances in drugs were
extracted for human consumption. This period was followed by newly found substances, including
laudanum morphine, and cocaine, all of which were completely unregulated and freely prescribed by
physicians for various ailments. They were available as patent medicines and sold by traveling salesmen,
in drugstores, or by mail. During the American civil war, morphine was freely used, such that wounded
veterans returned home with their morphine kits and hypodermic needles. With the influx of these
soldiers coming home, opium dens flourished around the same time, and by the early 1900’s, there
were an estimated 250,000 drug addicts in the united states alone.

Several years afterwards, problem related to addictions were eventually recognized. For example, legal
protection measures against drug abuse in the US were first established in 1875, the year when opium
dens were finally outlawed in San Francisco, California. The Food and Drug Act of 1906 required that
patent medicines containing opium and certain other drugs be labeled accurately. This was also the first
national drug law implemented in the US in 1914, the Harrison Narcotic Act prohibited selling large
doses of opiates or cocaine, except by pharmacies and licensed doctors. Later, heroin was also
completely banned. Meanwhile, the subsequent decisions of the US Supreme court made it illegal for
doctors to prescribe narcotics to addicts. In fact, many doctors who prescribe maintenance doses as part
of an addiction treatment plan where jailed, and pretty soon all treatment options were abandoned
altogether. As a result, the use of narcotics and cocaine became less popular in the 1920’s. by then,
temperance had paved the way for the total prohibition of alcohol by the 18th amendment to the
constitution in 1919. Nevertheless, the prohibition was repealed in 1933.

By the 1930’s, most US states mandated the inclusion of anti – drug education programs in all public
schools. However, due to the lingering fears that knowledge would lead to experimentation, this
initiative was discontinued in most places. After the repeal of Prohibition, the US Drug Enforcement
Administration began a campaign to present marijuana to the public as a highly addictive substance. In
the 1950’s, marijuana use saw a surge, along with the increased use of other drugs like tranquilizers and
amphetamines.

A decade later, the social upheaval of the 1960’s in the US saw a dramatic increase in drug use and some
degree of increased social acceptance. In fact, by early 1970s many states and localities had lowered
drinking ages and even decriminalized marijuana is some places. When the 1980’s came, there was a
decline in the use of these drugs, but only to be replaced by other more powerful drugs, such as cocaine
and crack, became popular. For the first time, the military became involved in border patrols, and US
troops invaded Panama and brought Manuel Noriega, its de facto leader, to trial for drug trafficking.

Throughout the years, public perception of the dangers associated with specific substances have
changed along with the changing times. The US Surgeon General’s warning labels – often prominently
placed in front of tobacco packaging – gradually increased public awareness regarding the addictive
nature of nicotine. Then, in 1995, the US food and Drug Administration began to regulate it and the
emergence of fetal alcohol syndrome raised alarms and resulted in the placement of warning labels to
alcohol products. Around the same time, the addictive nature of prescription drugs, such as valium and
even coffee, also came to light, thus placing them under public scrutiny.

In accordance with public perception, drug laws have also kept pace with the changing perceptions and
dangers of substance abuses. More than 55 federal drug laws and many other state laws, which were
implemented during the 1970’s already specified various punitive measures, including death penalty and
life imprisonment. To clarify the situation, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act,
promulgated in the 1970, aimed to repeal, replace, or updated past federal laws related to narcotics and
dangerous drugs.

Although possession was considered illegal, the most severe penalties were reserved for the illegal
distribution and production of drugs. The act handled the prevention and treatment of drug abuse and
aimed to control and manage drug traffic. In relation to this, the Anti – Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and
1988 increased funding allocations for drug treatment and rehabilitation. Specifically, the 1988 Act
created the Office of National Drug Control policy, and its director is given the task of coordinating
national drug control policies

Motivation for Drug Use

People take Drugs for the following reasons:

1. For relaxation
2. Stress relief

3. Increased energy levels

4. Peer pressure

5. Pain relief

6. Escapism

7. Increased self – esteem

8. For recreation purposes

Specific examples include people who take stimulants to stay alert as required in their respective jobs,
those who consume cocaine to elicit the feeling of excitement it produces, and athletes and
bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass.

Module 2

WORLDWIDE TRENDS ON ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING

A. Terms to Ponder
Drug trafficking – It is an illicit international trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and
sale of substances prohibited by law.

Synthetic substance – It refers to a substance that is man-made by synthesis, rather than being
produced by nature. It also refers to a substance or compound formed under human control by any
chemical reaction, either by chemical synthesis or by biosynthesis.

Stimulants – These are a group of drugs that result in increased activity in the body. Sometimes referred
to as “uppers,” these drugs are frequently abused due to their performance-enhancing and euphoric
effects. Generally, those who abuse stimulants experience heightened energy levels and enhanced
focus.

Psychoactive Substances - A drug or other substance that affects how the brain works and causes
changes in mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings, or behavior. Examples of psychoactive substances
include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana, and certain pain medicines.

Depressant substances – It reduces arousal and stimulation. They do not necessarily make a person feel
depressed. They affect the central nervous system, slowing down the messages between the brain and
the body.

Opioids – These are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Some prescription opioids
are made from the plant directly, and others are made by scientists in labs using the same chemical
structure. Opioids are often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and
can relieve pain.

Cannabis – It refers to a group of three plants with psychoactive properties, known as Cannabis sativa,
Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. When the flowers of these plants are harvested and dried,
you're left with one of the most common drugs in the world.

Ecstasy - is a psychoactive drug primarily used for recreational purposes. The desired effects include
altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, as well as pleasure.
Cocaine - an addictive drug derived from coca or prepared synthetically, used as an illegal stimulant and
sometimes medicinally as a local anesthetic.

WORLDWIDE TRENDS ON ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING

Around 269 million people used drugs worldwide in 2018, which is 30 percent more than in 2009, while
over 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders, according to the latest World Drug Report,
released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The Report also analyses the
impact of COVID-19 on the drug markets, and while its effects are not yet fully known, border and other
restrictions linked to the pandemic have already caused shortages of drugs on the street, leading to
increased prices and reduced purity.

Rising unemployment and reduced opportunities caused by the pandemic are also likely to
disproportionately affect the poorest, making them more vulnerable to drug use and also to drug
trafficking and cultivation in order to earn money, the Report says.

“Vulnerable and marginalized groups, youth, women and the poor pay the price for the world drug
problem. The COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn threaten to compound drug dangers further still,
when our health and social systems have been brought to the brink and our societies are struggling to
cope,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.

Due to COVID-19, traffickers may have to find new routes and methods, and trafficking activities via the
dark net and shipments by mail may increase, despite the international postal supply chain being
disrupted. The pandemic has also lead to opioid shortages, which in turn may result in people seeking
out more readily available substances such as alcohol, benzodiazepines or mixing with synthetic drugs.
More harmful patterns of use may emerge as some users switch to injecting, or more frequent injecting.

TRENDS IN DRUG USE

Cannabis was the most used substance worldwide in 2018, with an estimated 192 million people using it
worldwide. Opioids, however, remain the most harmful, as over the past decade, the total number of
deaths due to opioid use disorders went up 71 percent, with a 92 percent increase among women
compared with 63 percent among men.

Drug use increased far more rapidly among developing countries over the 2000-2018 period than in
developed countries. Adolescents and young adults account for the largest share of those using drugs,
while young people are also the most vulnerable to the effects of drugs because they use the most and
their brains are still developing.

CANNABIS TRENDS

While the impact of laws that have legalized cannabis in some jurisdictions is still hard to assess, it is
noteworthy that frequent use of cannabis has increased in all of these jurisdictions after legalization. In
some of these jurisdictions, more potent cannabis products are also more common in the market.

Cannabis also remains the main drug that brings people into contact with the criminal justice system,
accounting for more than half of drug law offences cases, based on data from 69 countries covering the
period between 2014 and 2018.

AVAILABILITY OF PHARMACEUTICAL OPIOIDS FOR MEDICAL CONSUMPTION VARIES ACROSS THE GLOBE
The Report also points out that low-income countries still suffer a critical shortage of pharmaceutical
opioids for pain management and palliative care. More than 90 per cent of all pharmaceutical opioids
available for medical consumption were in high-income countries in 2018 comprising around 12 per cent
of the global population, while the low and middle-income countries comprising 88 per cent of the
global population are estimated to consume less than 10 percent of pharmaceutical opioids. Access to
pharmaceutical opioids depend on several factors including legislation, culture, health systems and
prescribing practices.

SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FACE GREATER RISK FROM DRUG USE DISORDERS

Poverty, limited education and social marginalization remain major factors increasing the risk of drug
use disorders and vulnerable and marginalized groups may also face barriers to getting treatment
services due to discrimination and stigma. (UNODC World Drug Report 2020)

CATEGORIES OF NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES (NPS) SOLD ON THE GLOBAL MARKET

Ketamine – This is a type of anesthetic used for human and animals. It acts as a stimulant and a
hallucinogen at low and high doses, respectively. Owing to its popularity, it is considered one of the
most widespread types of NPS in Asia.

Piperazines – Commonly sold as “ecstasy”, these have gained popularity because of their properties that
stimulate the central nervous system.

Phenethylamines – This group has substances related to methamphetamine and amphetamine. These
generally produce stimulant effects. Recently, modified versions of these compounds have been
reported to yield such powerful hallucinogens as Bromo – Dragonfly.
Plant – based substances – Plants with psychoactive properties are commonly include in this group.
There are two most frequently reported forms of plant – based substances. The first is Khat (Catha
edulis), which is a plant that is native to the African and Arabian Peninsula. As the users chew the leaves
of this plant. This action releases stimulants such as cathione and cathin, which are absorbed in the
user’s bloodstream. The second type of kratom which is a plant indigenous to Southeast Asia. It contains
mitragynine, which is an alkaloid that acts as a stimulant and as a sedative at low and high doses,
respectively.

Synthetic cannabinoids – these receptor agonists generate effects that are similar to those of
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the main psychoactive component of cannabis often, synthetic
cannabinoids are infused which herbal products and then sold sunder the street name “K2”, “Spice”,
“Kronic” etc.

Synthetic cathinones – these are derivatives and analogues of the internationally controlled substance
known as cathinone, which in turn, is one of the chemically active components of the khat plant. These
cathinones often produce stimulant effects and include commonly reported NPS, such as
methyleneddioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and mepedrone to name a few.

Other substances – those classified as other substances include aminoindanes, which act as stimulants
and tyrptamines and phencyclidine – type substances, which act as hallucinogens.

TOP TEN (10) COMMONLY USED ILLEGAL DRUGS WORLDWIDE

1. Heroin - Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug processed from morphine, a naturally occurring
substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white
or brownish powder that is "cut" with sugars, starch, powdered milk, or quinine.
2. Crack cocaine - Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free
base form of cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The Manual of
Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment calls it the most addictive form of cocaine.

3. Methamphetamine - a synthetic drug with more rapid and lasting effects than amphetamine, used
illegally as a stimulant and as a prescription drug to treat narcolepsy and maintain blood pressure.

4. Cocaine - an addictive drug derived from coca or prepared synthetically, used as an illegal stimulant
and sometimes medicinally as a local anesthetic.

5. Marijuana - cannabis, especially as smoked or consumed as a psychoactive (mind-altering) drug.

6. Opium - cannabis, especially as smoked or consumed as a psychoactive (mind-altering) drug.

7. Ecstasy – it is a psychoactive drug primarily used for recreational purposes. The desired effects include
altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, as well as pleasure.

8. LSD – it is a synthetic crystalline compound, lysergic acid diethylamide, that is a potent hallucinogenic
drug.

9. PCP - Phencyclidine or phenylcyclohexyl piperidine, also known as angel dust among other names, is a
dissociative hallucinogenic drug used for its mind-altering effects. PCP may cause hallucinations,
distorted perceptions of sounds, and violent behavior.

10. Psilocybin mushrooms - Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, mushrooms
or shrooms, are a polyphyletic, informal group of fungi that contain psilocybin which turns into psilocin
upon ingestion.
The Top 10 Most Dangerous Drugs In The World

The following list includes some of the most commonly abused substances and chemicals confirmed by
the CDC and DEA.

1. Nicotine (Tobacco)

2. Alcohol

3. Fentanyl

4. Heroin

5. Cocaine

6. Methadone

7. Oxycodone

8. Morphine

9. Methamphetamines (Meth)

10. Xanax (Alprazolam)

Module 3:

Drug Trafficking Routes and Cartels

DRUG CARTELS

A drug cartel is any criminal organization with the intention of supplying drug trafficking operations.
They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial
enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking organizations reached an agreement to
coordinate the production and distribution of cocaine. Since that agreement was broken up, drug cartels
are no longer actually cartels, but the term stuck and it is now popularly used to refer to any criminal
narcotics related organization.

The basic structure of a drug cartel is as follows:

Falcons (Spanish: Halcones): Considered as the "eyes and ears" of the streets, the "falcons" are the
lowest rank in any drug cartel. They are responsible for supervising and reporting the activities of the
police, the military, and rival groups.

Hitmen (Spanish: Sicarios): The armed group within the drug cartel, responsible for carrying out
assassinations, kidnappings, thefts, and extortions, operating protection rackets, and defending their
plaza (turf) from rival groups and the military.

Lieutenants (Spanish: Tenientes): The second highest position in the drug cartel organization,
responsible for supervising the hitmen and falcons within their own territory. They are allowed to carry
out low-profile murders without permission from their bosses.

Drug lords (Spanish: Capos): The highest position in any drug cartel, responsible for supervising the
entire drug industry, appointing territorial leaders, making alliances, and planning high-profile murders.

There are other operating groups within the drug cartels. For example, the drug producers and
suppliers, although not considered in the basic structure, are critical operators of any drug cartel, along
with the financiers and money launderers. In addition, the arms suppliers operate in a completely
different circle, and are technically not considered part of the cartel's logistics
GOLDEN TRIANGLE

The Golden Triangle is the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet at the
confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The name "Golden Triangle" was coined by the CIA, and is
commonly used more broadly to refer to an area of approximately 950,000 square kilometers that
overlaps the mountains of the three adjacent countries.

Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent, it has been one of the largest opium producing areas of
the world since the 1950s. Most of the world's heroin came from the Golden Triangle until the early 21st
century when Afghanistan became the world's largest producer.

The Golden Triangle is now one of the world's leading areas for the production of synthetic drugs and
particularly methamphetamine as production has scaled up of Yaba tablets and crystalline
methamphetamine, including for export to Australia, New Zealand, and across East and Southeast Asia.

THE GOLDEN CRESCENT

The Golden Crescent is the name given to one of Asia's two principal areas of illicit opium production
(with the other being the Golden Triangle), located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western
Asia. This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries
define the crescent.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) heroin production estimates for the past 10
years show significant changes in the primary source areas. In 1991, Afghanistan became the world's
primary opium producer, with a yield of 1,782 metric tons (U.S. State Department estimates), surpassing
Myanmar, formerly the world leader in opium production. The decrease in heroin production from
Myanmar is the result of several years of unfavorable growing conditions and new government policies
of forced eradication. Afghan heroin production increased during the same time frame, with a notable
decrease in 2001 allegedly as a result of the Taliban's fatwa against heroin production. Afghanistan now
produces over 90% of the world's illicit opium. In addition to opiates, Afghanistan is also the world's
largest producer of hashish. Opium production and trafficking are known to have funded the Taliban's
military activities and insurgency.

C:\Users\user\Desktop\Golden-Triangle.jpg

Drug Trafficking

World heroin consumption amounts to 430-450 tons into the global heroin market.

Of that total, opium from Myanmar and the Lao People's Democratic Republic yields some 50 tons,
while the rest, some 380 tons of heroin and morphine, is produced exclusively from Afghan opium.

While approximately 5 tons are consumed and seized in Afghanistan, the remaining bulk of 375 tons is
trafficked worldwide via routes flowing into and through the countries neighboring Afghanistan. The
Balkan and northern routes are the main heroin trafficking corridors linking Afghanistan to the huge
markets of the Russian Federation and Western Europe. The Balkan route traverses the Islamic Republic
of Iran (often via Pakistan), Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria across South-East Europe to the Western
European market, with an annual market value of some $20 billion. The northern route runs mainly
through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan (or Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan) to Kazakhstan and the Russian
Federation. The size of that market is estimated to total $13 billion per year.
BALKAN ROUTE

The wars in Syria and Iraq have driven asylum seekers through the Balkan route - a path that usually
begins in Turkey and then winds through either Bulgaria or Greece. The migrants then make their way
futher north, eventually reaching Slovenia or Hungary on the path towards countries like Germany.

The use of the Balkan route as a way for migrants to move around Europe to seek asylum.

C:\Users\user\Desktop\The-Balkan-route-and-closures-to-reduce-migration-flows-to-European-
Countries-2013-2016.png

> > > To be Updated < < <