What is Drugs?

Drugs are substance that alter the functioning of the body and mind when consumed. Drugs are often
used for medicinal and are prescribed by healthcare professionals, while others are used illegally and
wrongly that cause harm to the person that consumed it.

- Types of Drugs

Depressants - Depressents slow down the communication between the body and the brain, which
decrease you’re ability to responds to whats happening around you and making you feel relaxed

Example of depressants are alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, GHB, ketamine, and opiods.

Hallucinogens – Hallucinogens alters your perception of what is real, you may see or hear things that
you think are real but are just hallucination

Example of hallucinogens are cannabis, ketamine, LSD, psilocybin, and PCP.

Stimulants – stimulants accelerate the communication between the body and the brain that causes your
heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to go up making you feel more awake and energetic.

Example of stimulants are amphetamines, caffeine, cocaine, ecstasy, and nicotine

- Usage of Drugs

Maintenance – these are medication that some individuals use as part of their treatment for chronic
conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or HIV/AIDS.

Mental health support – these are medication that are use to manage mental health disorders of a
individual such as anxiety depression, and schizophrenia. Example of these drugs are Antidepressants
for depression, Antipsychotics for schizophrenia, and Anxiolytics for anxiety disorder.

Pain reliever – these are drugs that are used to relieve and reduced pain of an individual, these drugs
work on the nervous system to block the pain signal, thus reducaing the pain perceived by the
individual. Example of these drugs are aspirin and acetaminophen.

- OTC vs Prescriptive Drugs

Over the counter (OTC) drugs are medication that are obtainable to be purchased without a
prescribtions, they are genneraly safe and effective when used according to the instructions.
Prescription drugs are medication that can be only be obtained with a prescription from a healthcare
professional.

- Misconception of Drugs

Myth #1: Rehabilitation doesn’t work.

Myth#2: Taking higher doses of drugs enhances their effects.

Myth#3: Natural or herbal drugs are always safe.

- Penalty for the use and handling of Illegal Drugs

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002, REPEALING REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 6425, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 1972, AS AMENDED,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 ARTICLE II Section 4.

Importation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals.- .The penalty of
life imprisonment to death and a ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten
million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall
import or bring into the Philippines any dangerous drug, regardless of the quantity and purity involved,
including any and all species of opium poppy or any part thereof or substances derived therefrom even
for floral, decorative and culinary purposes.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 ARTICLE II Section 5.

Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Dangerous

Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. - The penalty of life imprisonment to death
and a fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos
(P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall sell, trade,
administer, dispense, deliver, give away to another, distribute dispatch in transit or transport any
dangerous drug, including any and all species of opium poppy regardless of the quantity and purity
involved, or shall act as a broker in any of such transactions.

- Drug Abuse

According to National Institutes of Health

Drug abuse is the misuse or excessive use of prescription or over the counter drugs beyond their
intended purposes. It involves using drugs in ways that deviate from their prescribed or recommended
use, often resulting in various negative consequences. These consequences can be social, physical,
emotional, and job-related in problems.
https://www.health.gov.au/topics/drugs/about-drugs/types-of-drugs

https://www.health.gov.au/topics/drugs/about-drugs/what-are-drugs

https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2002/ra_9165_2002.html

https://www.healthinaging.org/tools-and-tips/ask-expert-over-counter-and-prescription-
drugs#:~:text=Prescription%20drugs%20should%20be%20taken,and%20over%2Dthe%2Dcounter.

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/drug-abuse