CHAPTER 3

DRUG SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL EDUCATION

I. Overview
Drug education program for the youth is an important undertaking particularly those who will be
studying in the school. Presently, the youth of today comprise the most vulnerable group that can be
affected by prohibited drugs. As revealed by General Edgar C. Galvante, former Executive Director,
Dangerous Drug Board, most of the drug user start their habit early, usually during their teenage years.
At present, situation, the youth are susceptible to the drugs experience because adolescence is the
period of experimentation, exploration, curiousity, and search for identity. It is believed that young
people with problematic backgrounds are more vulnerable and are more likely to continue abusing
drugs, once they have started, and to develop other aggravating problems, if not processed. These
young people in difficult circumstances are associated with poverty, family disintegration, relocation,
discrimination, and lack of suitable alternative activities.

The very vital to the success in controlling and stopping drug abuse is through problem
awareness, education and strategy implementation. I addition, positive behavior, including the
constructive handling of feelings and responsibilities, should be installed and encouraged in our own
families during the early life of young family members and carried on up to the later stage of life. These
should be nurtured by a caring and understanding community.

II. Learning Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:
1. Identify the causes of drug addiction;
2. Synthesize accurate information on the health, legal, social consequence of drug and
substance abuse and examine how this negatively impact the person who uses the
drug, and his or her family, friends, and community;
3. Identify prohibited acts and corresponding penalties; and
4. Make a personal commitment to remain drug free and develop a plan to address drug
and substance abuse;
5. Be familiar with the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002
III. Discussion/Lesson Proper
Most of the reason why our youth is dragged into the abyss of drug abuse is the lack of
guidance from the family itself. Furthermore, the first reason maybe the parents are too busy to
their jobs, giving less time to their children. Second, parents have not finished schooling, making
them less inform and less aware of the effects of drugs. Third, the type of discipline of the parents
includes physical violence, in most cases in the Philippines, drives away kid from home.

Most Predominant Reason for drug addiction

 A teenager spends more time with friends or peers rather than at home
 The drug addict is generally an emotionally unstable individual before he or she acquires the
habit.
  A person will try to use drugs if a friend insists, for the sake of friendship
 The drug addict is generally an emotionally unstable individual before he or she acquires the
habit. The person cannot face painful situations without help
Truly, drugs abuse is a predator, a monster that preys on innocent, curious mind like those of
the teenagers. Hence, this module zeroes in on uncovering problem of drug abuse among the
youngsters and on finding ways and means by which this societal menace could be lessened, if not
totally annihilated

The Nature of Drug and Drug Abuse (FAQs)

What is a drug?

A drug is a chemical substance that brings about physical, emotional or behavioral change in a
person taking it.

How are drugs taken?

1. Ingestion
2. Inhalation
3. Injection
4. Used as suppository
5. Applied topically
When are drugs harmful?

Any drug may be harmful when taken in excess. Some drugs can also be harmful if taken in
dangerous combinations or by hypersensitive (allergic) person in ordinary or even small amounts.

Why do people turn to drugs?

There are various reason-ranging from the reason the “medicines” can solve problems, to
widespread access to various drugs, to “peer pressure”, to the notion that drugs give enjoyment to the
users and in the context that it is used as an alcoholic substitute.

What is drug abuse?

Drug abuse is the use of chemical substance, licit or illicit, which results in an individual’s
physical, mental, or social impairment. It may refer to any of the following practices:

1. Using, without benefit or prescription, useful drugs which have the capacity to alter mood or
behavior.
2. Using drugs and substances for a purpose different from the one for which the drug has been
prescribed; and
3. Using drugs and substances having no legitimate medical application for purposes other than
research
Are there products other than drugs ever abused?

Substances like glue, paint thinners, gasoline and other volatile (breathable) solvents contain a variety
of dangerous chemicals. They should be sold and used with caution.

What are the types of drugs?

Drugs that are commonly abused, depending on pharmacological effects, may be classified
into:

1. Stimulants. Drugs which increase alertness and physical disposition.

Example: amphetamine, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine

2. Hallucinogens (Psychedelics). Drugs which affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness and

emotion. Changes in time and space perception. Delusions (false beliefs) and
hallucinations may be mild or overwhelming, depending on dose or quantity of the drugs.
Example: LSD, Mescaline, and Marijuana
3. Sedatives. Drugs which may reduce anxiety and excitement.
Example: Barbiturates, Non-barbiturates, Tranquilizers, Alcohol

4. Narcotics. Drugs that relieve pain and often induce sleep.

Example: Opium and its derivatives such as Morphine, Heroin, Codeine

What is a drug abuser?

Anyone can be a drug abuser. Drug abuse is no respecter of age, sex, and social status. It is
very difficult to come up with an accurate profile of a drug abuser that can be applied to all because
people are different in many ways.

How can you tell when on is abusing drugs?

A lot of changes – in behavior, in appearance and in mood – occur in a person who is abusing
drugs. Sudden changes occur in a person disposition from pleasant to unpleasant.

Thus, he:

1. is often associated with known drug abusers;

2. is irritable, discourteous, defiant and aggressive;
3. is untrustworthy and lack of self-confidence;
4. is unhealthy and unconcerned with good grooming;
5. has low frustration tolerance;
6. lacks of interest in his studies/work;
7. blames everybody and not himself for his problems;
8. develops changes in normal capabilities in school/work; and
9. borrows money and at times steals various item unusually.
Common Sign of Drug Abuse

1. Injection mark of an addict

2. Unusual effort made to cover arms in order

to hide needle marks

1. Stealing items which can be readily sold for cash

to support a drug habit.

2. Changes in mood – depending on the drug taken

Example: depressed or becoming elated and
Euphonic

3. Association with known drug abusers

4. Change from normal capabilities (work habits,

efficiency, etc.)

5. Change in attendance at work or school

6. Wearing sunglasses constantly at inappropriate

times (for instance, indoor or at night) or only
to hide dilated or constricted pupils but also to
compensate for the eyes ‘inability to adjust to
sunlight. Marijuana causes bloodshot eyes
7. Poor physical appearance including inattention to dress
and personal hygiene
The National Drug Situation
National Drug Situation

All of us are very much aware of the nature of the drug problem. It has been condemned by
governments all over the world and billions in resources have been spent to contain it, yet drug
trafficking and/ or drug abuse is still here.

In fact, it is today’s most profitable underground business which has spawned yet considered
as another crime and source of money laundering on a global scale. The Vienna-based International
Narcotics Control Board (INCB) points out that “No country rich or poor, large or small, equipped with
sophisticated machinery to fight money-laundering or not, can consider itself from money-laundering
activities”.

The Philippine situation is not any different from other countries of the world that are affected
by drug problems and is in fact following the trends in other countries. In 1978, there were only about
20,000 drug users in the country. Almost all of them were from in Metro Manila. Today, the Dangerous
Drugs Board (DDB) estimated that the approximate 6.7M drug users are now down to 1.7 million.

Three (3) major abused drugs dominated the drug scene in the country. The first is
methamphetamine hydrochloride commonly known as “shabu”, which is the main drug used by drug
abusers. The second is marijuana. According to some sources, the Philippines has become the world’s
second biggest source of marijuana after Mexico, producing about 1.4 billion worth each year. The third
is methylene dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, which is now sweeping the elite market.

Commonly Abused Drugs

1. Shabu (Methamphetamine Hydrochloride). Methamphetamine is the most

popular abused drug in the country today. In the 1990s, stimulant abuse
emerged in many ASEAN countries. This major change in the pattern of
substance abuse can perhaps be considered as the first stimulant epidemic of
the region. The Philippines is probably the first ASEAN country that faced
severe stimulant abuse. The abuse of methamphetamine was noted in 1986
among the affluent, entertainment and artist population. The status of
methamphetamine or “shabu’ abuse at the time seemed well confined. However, in 1987, the
abuse spread to the general population.
Today, methamphetamine is available in varying degrees throughout the country. This
widespread availability is illustrated by increasing methamphetamine seizures, arrests, and
cases filed in court. Over a six-year period, the increase is almost 50. In 1996, a total of 18,904
arrests were made; in 2001 the number increase to 32,227. In 1996, some 792 kgs of shabu
was seized; in 2001, the total seizure was some 1,561 kgs.

Of all the regions in the country, methamphetamine is more widely available

throughout Regions 1,2,3,4, CAR, ARMM, and the NCR.
 2. Ecstasy or Methylene dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Ecstasy is
fast making its presence felt in the country. There is an increase in
reports about the use of “ecstasy” among young people,
particularly in nightclubs. Ecstasy, or MDMA, is a synthetic drug
that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and as a hallucinogen. It is
strongly linked to music and dance culture and has a growing user
based among the elites (Class A&B). While some users confine
their consumption to occasional use at social, music and dance events, others develop regular
use profiles, while the third group uses both frequently and intensively.
There are reports starting that ecstasy is shipped directly from Amsterdam and
othercountries in Europe. There are close to a thousand varieties of ecstasy tablets and
capsules and among them, which are now available in Metro Manila, are Orange Hornets,
Aigners, Achtung, and Mitsubishi. Studies abroad reveal that the damage caused by ecstasy to
one’s health is irreversible.

3. Marijuana. Marijuana abounds in the Philippines. But since the early

nineties, it has seized to be the drug of choice. Most of what is
produced locally is intended for foreign markets. In East Asia, the
Pacific, Australia, Europe, and the US, the UNDCP has identified the
Philippines as a major marijuana producer and exporter. It should be
noted that CAR is the biggest producer of marijuana in the country
since 1992-2001.
In 1972, there were only nine (9) identified sites engaged in
marijuana cultivation. Today, the number of marijuana-producing barangays has ballooned to ninety-
eight (98), located in nine different regions in the country. Marijuana-producing areas in Northern Luzon
are locate in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region 1 and Region 2. In the Visayas, the
cultivation sites are found in Region 7, while marijuana plantations can also be found in Region
10,11,12,13 and ARMM in Mindanao.

Drug Trafficking

Methamphetamine hydrochloride continues to be smuggled into the country through four major
avenues: the seaports and special economic zones, the international airports, the mail and parcel
services, and the vast expanse of Philippine coastline.

The use of the seaports was exemplified by the seizure of 158 kilograms of shabu stashed
inside two (2) container vans at the Manila International Container Port in two different occasions in
1999.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport continues to be the preferred trafficking avenue for small
quantities from less than one kilo to multi-kilo shipments by trafficking using false compartments in
luggage or through body packing. The gravity of the problem can be gleamed from the seizure of
116.88 million pesos’ worth of drugs by the NAIA Drug Interdiction Task Group in 2001. It was on
September 11 and 14,2004 respectively, when two Taiwanese nationals were intercepted carrying five
(5) kilograms of shabu each on board a flight originating from Xiamen, China.
 The mail and parcel system is preferred in foreign destinations that have large Filipino
communities like Guam, US, Australia, England and Middle East. A case in point was the seizure of
39.8 kilos of shabu from a FED EX shipment from Hong Kong on September 11, 2001 by the Bureau of
Customs. The vast and relatively unpatrolled shoreline of the country is where most of the huge
shipments are smuggled. Major drug shipments intercepted by law enforcement authorities include the
420 kilograms hauled in Pangasinan in 1999, the 365 kilograms in Sariaya Quezon, 125 kilograms in
Ilocos Sur, and 33 kilograms in Zambales, all in 2000. For the year 2001, 503 kilograms of shabu were
intercepted in Real, Quezon on October 13, 2001, allegedly from the shoreline of Panukulan, Quezon
and said illegal drugs were personally escorted by the Mayor of said town. Also in 2001, 350kgs of
shabu was seized on San Narciso, Zambales.

Involvement of Foreign Nationals in Drug Trafficking

Based from the data as reported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in1993 to
December 31,2001 there were 258 foreign nationals arrested in the Philippines for violation of Republic
Act. No. 6425 (Dangerous Drugs Act 1972, as amended). Of this total, 182 or 70.54% were Chinese
nationals while other nationalities made of the remaining 76 or 29.463%. More importantly, the volume
of shabu seized from foreign nationals over the same period totaled 2,889 kilograms or 64.24% of the
total volume of shabu seized in the country in over the same period. Chinese nationals on the other
hand, accounted for 2,873 kilograms for the period January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2001 or 63.888%
of the aggregate national’s seizures of shabu.

At present, supply comes not only from importation but also from local manufacturing. Since
1997, there have been nine discoveries of clandestine laboratories made and the most significant of
which was the discovery of clandestine laboratory in San Juan. All along, cland labs were thought of as
makeshift and unsophisticated, until San Juan. On July 18, 2002, another clandestine laboratory was
dismantled at Loyola, Quezon City by members of the Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group. Seven
(7) Chinese nationals were arrested and 44.540 kilograms of shabu, 50.67 kilograms of ephedrine and
shabu laboratory equipment and paraphernalia were seized. Another clandestine laboratory was
dismantled in Executive Heights Subdivision Parañaque City on November 1, 2002. Just recently, on
February 2012, 90 million pesos’ worth of illegal drugs ingredients were seized by the Bureau of
Customs, including that of the popular ‘ecstasy’.

Transit Points of Drugs

Based from the reports, a huge portion of shabu that enters the Philippines comes directly from
Southern China where most of the shabu laboratories are located. Of the 15 major interdictions since
1993, seven (7) were shipped directly from Southern China. Five (5) shipments were from China but
they passed through Hong Kong first before they were rerouted to the Philippines. At least one
shipment passed through Taiwan. Lately, we learned that the shipments at Quezon and Zambales
came directly from North Korea.
 It should be noted that the identified landing points are mainly through the shorelines of the
Northern and Central Luzon regions and Southern Tagalog, specifically Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur,
Pangasinan, Zambales, Aurora, Quezon and Mindanao provinces. Reports also indicate Palawan and
Masbate as probable landing sites from shabu smuggling.

Facts and Figures

Organized Drug Groups

As a result of Intelligence Workshop conducted by PDEA, eleven (11) Transnational Drug

Syndicates were identified to be operating in the country while, the number of local organized drug
groups is pegged at 215. NCR and Region 3 have the highest number of drug groups with 30 groups
each, followed by Region 7 with 27 groups and Region 9 with 22 groups. The regions with the lowest
number of drug groups are Cordillera Administrative Region and CARAGA Region with one (1) drug
group each.

Personalities in the BADAC Watch List

As of September, the nationwide total number of drug personalities perfected in the Barangay
Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) Watch List is pegged at 37,076. Among the region, NCR has the highest
number of identified drug personalities with 10,879 or 29,348 of the total number of drug personalities
nationwide followed by PRO 4 with 7.958 or 21,468 and 6,443 or 17,378.

Drug Rehabilitation

The number of drug patients is increasing. Based on records of Government Residential

Centers’ Admission, from 1,446 in1974, the number reached 5,945 in 2001.

Statistics from rehabilitation centers show the following data:

1. Majority of patients are in the 15-29 age group.

2. The mean age of drug user is 27 years old.
3. Shabu and/or Marijuana are their drug of choice.
4. The ratio of male users to female is 14:1.
5. Workers comprised 43.718% of the drug patient population.
6. Unemployed comprised 35,838.
7. Students comprised 5,138.
8. Out of school youth comprised 1,183.

Drug –Affected Barangay

Records show that the number of drug-affected barangays as of September this year
represents 8,508 or 3,577 of the country’s 42,061 barangays. Comparing all the regions, Region 4 has
the highest number of drug affected barangays with 1.026 of its 5,463 barangays, followed by Region 3
with 492 of its 3.175 barangays, and Region 7 with 279 of its 3,003 barangays. While Region 12 has
the lowest with 32 of its 1,192 barangays.
Assessment

The emergence of East and Southeast Asia as the fastest growing region in terms of
manufacture, trafficking, and consumption of Amphetamine Type Stimulants seriously affects the
Philippines. Being a major ATS consuming country, it is therefore important to maintain close
cooperation with the countries in the region in the common fight against illegal drugs.

The discovery and dismantling of clandestine laboratories in the country indicates a major shift
in strategy to manufacture shabu in the country as opposed to the traditional trafficking of shabu in its
processed form. Control of precursors and essential chemicals and the prevention of diversion to illegal
use are therefore more urgent than before.

Marijuana cultivation expanded despite the decline in preference of Filipino drug abusers due
to increase in trafficking to other boundaries like Japan, Australia and other countries in Europe. While
it may not affect Filipinos directly, the resulting stigma as a source country for the drug is equally
damaging to the standing of the country in the international community.

Profile of Drug Abusers in the Philippines

Age Mean age of 28 years old

Sex Male to female ratio 9:1
Civil Status Single 51.56%
Married 34.44%
Family Size Siblings 3-4
Employed 30.94%
Myth Self-employed 12.4% versus
Occupation
Fact: Unemployed 38.87% Drug
Abuse Students 5% and
Illicit OSY 0.09%
College Level 28.23%
Educational Attainment High School Level 29.41%
High School Graduate 16.74%
Economic Status Average Monthly Income ₱15,064.00
Duration of Drug Taking More than 6 years
Nature of Drug Taking Poly Drug Use
Methamphetamine
Abused Drugs Hydrochloride (Shabu)
Cannabis (Marijuana)
Inhalants (Contact cement)
Place of Residence Urban, especially in NCR

Trafficking
 1. Why the Big Outcry? Drug aren’t Really a Big Problem. The fact is… They are a tremendous
problem, the seriousness of which is becoming more apparent everyday.
2. “Recreational” Use of Drugs is not Harmful. The fact is… All illegal drugs are dangerous and
cause physical and psychological change in the user. Prolonged drug use exacerbates these
harmful effects that can lead to addiction.
3. Marijuana is no Worse than using Alcohol or Tobacco. The fact is … Marijuana is very
dangerous. Unlike alcohol, which is usually leaves the body within 24 hours because it is water-
soluble, marijuana is fat-soluble, which meant that the psycho-active chemicals attach
themselves to the fatty parts of the body (usually the brain and reproductive organ) and be
detected up to 30 days after initial use.
4. Everybody is Taking Drug. The fact is… This common argument is used by drug users in an
effort to gain acceptability for their deviant behavior. No matter how alarming drug use statistics
may be, majority of the people in the world do not use illegal drugs.
5. Only Weak Individuals Become Addicts. The fact is… The reverse is true: addicts become
weak individuals. No one begins taking drugs with the aim of becoming addicted. People take
drugs for a variety of reasons, including to escape from reality, to cope with daily life, or to be
accepted by others.
6. Drug abuse is a “Victimless” Crime – It only Hurts the User. The fact is… While the health and
social changes for a productive life are jeopardized for the individual drug user, he or she is not
only one to suffer. The family suffers disharmony and pain in witnessing the self-destruction of
a loved one.
7. If A Person Wants to Take Drugs, Governments should Interfere. The fact is… The legitimate
right of the individual must be consistent with the safety and welfare of the general population.
No individual has an inalienable right to behave in a manner destructive to others.
8. All Drug Addicts Should Be Imprisoned. The fact is… Imprisonment of a drug addict as such
does not solve the problem. Drug users have committed a crime, but detoxification, treatment
and rehabilitation of the individual are essential if the addict is to learn how to live without
drugs.
9. The Cultivation of Drug Crops Gives a Poor Farmer a Chance to Make Money. The fact is…
The farmer is breaking the law and usually knows it. The income received by the farmer for
illicit narcotics production unfortunately, is higher than that received for traditional food crops,
often leading to increased illicit production to the exclusion of food crops.
10. Peddling Drugs is One Way the Poor can Earn Money. The Fact is... Most drug peddlers are
addicts or become addicts. The money they earn does not help them or their families; they are
merely supporting a drug habit. As their addiction deepens, new "clients" must be found to
bring in more money to buy more drugs.
11. Drug Use is a Way of Life in Some Countries. Why Change It? The Fact is... It is not a way of
life in any country. Statistics show that in areas where drug use is common, economic
development can be seriously retarded. This is true in both developing and industrialized
countries.

The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002

 Concretizes government's intensive and unrelenting campaign against the trafficking and use
of dangerous drugs, and other similar substances through an integrated system of planning,
implementation, and enforcement of anti-drug abuse policies, programs, and projects. R. A. 9165 is an
act instituting the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, repealing Republic Act No. 6425,
known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.

Prohibited Acts and corresponding penalties

PROHIBITED ACTS PENALTIES

Maintenance of a Den, Dive or Life Imprisonment to Death and a fine ranging from five
Resort hundred thousand pesos (P500,000) to ten million pesos
(P10,000,000).

Employees and Visitors of a Den, Imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to
Dive or Resort twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from one hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000) to five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000).

PROHIBITED ACTS PENALTIES

Manufacture of Dangerous Drugs and/or Life Imprisonment to death and a fine ranging
Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals P500,000 to P10,000,000

Illegal Chemical Diversion of Controlled Imprisonment ranging from 12 years and 1 day
Precursors and Essential Chemicals to 20 years and a fine ranging from P100,000
to P500,000
 PROHIBITED ACTS PENALTIES

Cultivation or Culture of Life imprisonment to Death and a fine ranging from Five
Plants Classified as hundred pesos (P500,000) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000)
Dangerous Drugs

CHED and TESDA’s roles and responsibilities to prevent drug addiction in the schools.

1. What are the common responsibilities of CHED and TESDA?

 RA 9165, Article IV mandates the following functions:
a. Provide continuing in-service training of teachers on the effective utilization of the
support instructional materials and on teaching strategies on drug education
b. Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and overall impact of drug
education program
c. Secure funds from local and foreign donors for the implementation of the drug
education program
2. What are the other functions of CHED and TESDA regarding drug abuse prevention?

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is responsible for:

Enriching and updating the integration of dangerous drug prevention concepts in the
general education of all higher education course offerings and in the professional subjects,
especially in health-related and science teacher education courses

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is responsible for:

a. Integrating drug abuse prevention concepts in the technical, vocational and agro-industrial
courses
b. Integrating drug abuse prevention concepts in appropriate instructional materials for
technical education and skills development
3. Should drug abuse prevention and control be part of the school curricula?

Yes, Article IV, Sec. 43 of Republic Act 9164 stipulates that instruction on drug abuse
prevention and control be integrated in the elementary, secondary and tertiary curricula of all
public and private schools, whether general, technical, vocational or agro-industrial.

4. What are the topics on drug abuse prevention and control that should be integrated in the
instruction?

According to Article IV, Sec. 43, the following topics should be covered:
a. Adverse effects of the abuse and misuse of dangerous drugs on the person, the family, the
school, and the community;
b. Preventive measures against drug abuse;
c. Health, socio-cultural, psychological, legal and economic dimensions and implications of
the drug problem;
d. Steps to take when intervening on behalf of a drug dependent is needed;
e. Services available for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents;
f. Misconceptions about the use of dangerous drugs but not limited to the importance and
safety of dangerous drugs of medical and therapeutic use; and
g. Differentiation between medical patients and drug dependents in order to avoid confusion
and accidental stigmatization in the consciousness of the students.

The Youth and Government's Response to the Drug Problem

 By the turn of the 21"century, substance abuse has taken an alarming proportion in the country
"Shabu (the local name for methamphetamine) has become the number one drug of abuse, followed by
marijuana and inhalants. The abuse of legal substances like nicotine and alcohol continue to be
worrisome. A survey by the University of the Philippines Population Institute in 1996 showed the initial
age of use of nicotine, alcohol, and drugs to be age 16-17, that 40% of males surveyed were smoking
and 37% of the youth regularly used alcohol. At present, more than 1.5 million Filipinos are users of
illegal drugs. The youth are especially hard hit. They are the greatest number of drug users. Among
them are more than 350,000 identified high school students in the country. One can only speculate on
the number of young people abusing drugs not identified.

Various activities, to date, are initiated and are aimed to produce the following effects on young
people:

1. lessen violent behavior;

2. increase pro-social behavior and decrease negative, self-destructive behavior;
3. increase the ability to plan ahead and choose effective solutions to problems;
4. improve self-image and self-awareness;
5. improve social and emotional adjustment;
6. improve handling of interpersonal problems and coping with anxiety;
7. improve constructive conflict resolution with peers; and
8. improve self-control.
Early in 2004, the Dangerous Drugs Board launched the program "Barkada Kontra Droga" (or
"Peers Against Drugs"). The specific thrust of this program is drug abuse prevention.

This concept tries to change the meaning of the word "barkada" or "peer" which connotes a
negative influence among peers. Each member of the "Barkada Kontra Droga" pledges to keep his
community and family safe and secure from the evils of illegal drugs. Further, he is asked to commit to
convince friends and relatives to join the fight against drugs and trafficking, never to use drugs, and to
report clandestine laboratories, pushers and users.

Legislation for Illicit Drugs Control

1. 1972. The Dangerous Drugs Act was established.

2. 2002. The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was implemented.
3. 2002. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was established.
4. 2002. An Integrated Drug Abuse Data Information Network (1IDADIN) was created to monitor
drug use/abuse.
Government Response to the Problem

1. Preventive education programs to dissuade users or potential users from experimenting with
illegal drugs and/or continuing to use them
2. Treatment and rehabilitation programs aimed at facilitating abstinence
3. Intensified campaigns against illegal drugs and trafficking
4. Judicial and legislative measures
 5. National, regional and international cooperation to fight illegal drug trafficking and abuse of
dangerous drugs
6. Some Philippine 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.
7. Drug Information and Action Line (DLAL) was created to receive reports and complaints related
to drug abuse and provide assistance to the public on drug-related cases.
Ten (10) Ways to Say "No" to Drugs
1. Be vocal, just say "NO" and mean it!
2. Project an image of clean living for yourself.
3. Get into sports.
4. Choose your friends and influence them positively.
5. Get involved in community-based projects.
6. Join organizations (church, school, community or social) or youth clubs or form your own
drama group.
7. Learn how to manage stress.
8. Join seminars on anti-drug abuse prevention.
9. Talk to your family, listen to the problems of your brothers and sisters.
10. Enhance your talents or skills by taking part in workshops, training or seminars.
The soundness of the activity we do today will contribute to the success of the program we
have together with our clients in the days to come.
Our involvement…
To be involved in drug prevention and control requires a S.T.R.O.N.G. group

S - Steadfast personality

T - Trustworthy in words and deeds

R - Respectable in relating with others

O - Open-minded in facing situations

N - Noble character

G - Gutsy action and ideas

As good citizens…

Let us be keepers of life and create a safe environment through our respective positions.

Let us join hands in keeping our society a drug-free Philippines