DDB: Philippines has 1.

8 million current drug users

SEP 19, 2016 2:45 PM PHT

JODESZ GAVILAN

The survey commissioned by the Dangerous Drugs Board estimates that 4.8
million Filipinos aged 10-69 years old used illegal drugs at least once in their
lives
MANILA, Philippines — There are 1.8 million current drug users in the
Philippines or 1.8% of the total population of 100.98 million, results of the
Dangerous Drugs Board’s latest survey on the drug use situation in the
Philippines show.
According to the 2015 Nationwide Survey on the Nature and Extent of Drug
Abuse in the Philippines presented on Monday, September 19, the current
drug use prevalence among Filipinos aged 10 to 69 years old is at 2.3%, or an
estimated 1.8 million users.
Filipinos aged 10 to 69 years old comprise around 75% of the total Philippine
population as of 2015.
Current drug users refer to individuals who are currently using or have used
illegal drugs more than once from January 1, 2015, until February 5, 2016.
The 2015 figure Is higher than the 1.3 million drug users estimated in 2012
and 1.7 million estimated in 2008.
Commissioned by DDB, the survey on national drug abuse situation was
conducted by Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies
Incorporated (REECS) from December 5, 2015, to February 5, 2016, among
5,000 respondents across the Philippines. It had a ±0.9 margin error.
Meanwhile, data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
states that 11,132 out of 42,036 barangays in the country are drug-affected as
of December 2015.
Lifetime’ drug users
The 2015 survey results show that the lifetime drug use prevalence is around
6.1% of the same sample population.
This means that 4.8 million Filipinos have used illegal drugs at least once in
their lives – less than the estimated 7.1 million in 2008
According to DDB Chairperson Benjamin Reyes, the government’s anti-illegal
drug campaign should also focus on prevention to “curb the problem.”
“As much as possible, we are trying to prevent the 4.8 million to not try using
illegal drugs again,” he said. “Ang key message natin ay huwag na gumamit at
huwag na mag-try kasi mataas ang retention rate.” (Our key message is to not
use and do not try illegal drugs because retention rate is high.)
Retention rate refers to the percentage of drug users that will continually use a
specific illegal drug.
The 2015 drug situation survey results show that drug retention rate is
currently at 28% for shabu and 24.7% for marijuana.
As President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs continues, DDB and other
government agencies will use the findings of the latest survey on the drug
situation to curb the problem.
“The findings that [that were presented] have implications on policy and
implementation of anti-illegal drugs campaign,” Reyes explained. “We need to
recalibrate our programs based on the findings.”
For example, while most current drug users thought about quitting illegal
drugs, it is not common for them to initiate seeking medical help. (READ:
How to seek drug treatment and rehabilitation in the Philippines)
Reyes said that different government agencies, such as the Department of
Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG), will soon implement community-based treatment and rehabilitation
for drug users to complement the law enforcement of the Philippine National
Police (PNP).
“We have a balanced approach [against illegal drugs],” he said.
“Unfortunately, what is highlighted is law enforcement, but we need to show
people that we have a treatment and rehabilitation approach.”
The implementation of anti-illegal drugs programs should also be handled by
barangay (village) leaders.
“Dapat sa barangay level, active sila sa pag-implement ng anti-illegal drug
campaign kasi sila ang may kilala sa anong extent ang problema sa kanilang
lugar,” he emphasized. “Kung maayos na maiimplement iyon, ang laki ng
mababawas sa drug problem sa Pilipinas.”
(Those in the barangay level should actively implement our anti-illegal drug
campaign because they themselves know the extent of the problem in their
area. If they properly implement the programs, the drug problem in the
Philippines will decrease.)
As of Monday, September 19, data from the PNP shows that 17,759 suspected
drug personalities have been arrested under Oplan Double Barrel.
Meanwhile, 715,393 people have surrendered under Project TokHang, 53,091
of them drug pushers and 662,302 admitting to using illegal drugs. (READ: IN
NUMBERS: The Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’)
The total number of persons killed in the Duterte administration’s war on
drugs, as of September 19, is at over 3,000, with 1,152 drug personalities
killed in police operations, and 2,035 in extrajudicial or vigilante killings.
Reyes has no doubt that the government is doing its best to address the drug
problem in a holistic way. “We are hoping at the end of the Duterte
administration, illegal drugs will become a non-issue,” he said. – Rappler.com