Drug Education

General Orientation on RA 9165, Nature of Drugs, Drug

Menace, Drug Situation, Controlled Substances,
and Other Pertinent Laws

PRESENTATION

SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION

The Philippines remains to be a country that

produces and consumes illegal drugs. Illegal drugs
proliferate in the Philippine market because of the huge
number of drug dependents who patronize not only one
but several types of illegal drugs or otherwise called
poly-drug users. Two of the most prevalent and most
abuse drugs in the Philippines are methamphetamine
hydrochloride or shabu and cannabis sativa or
marijuana. Based on the data of drug-related arrests in
the country, the main drug of choice isshabu at 96.43%, followed by marijuana at
3.36% and other drugs (ecstasy, cocaine, nubain, valium).

The emergence of new drugs in the country puts another risk in the lives of
Filipinos. As of now, new emerging drugs are identified to have entered the country.
These include new psychoactive substances under UNODC watch. In the
Philippines, however, there are NPS that are already classified as dangerous drugs
in accordance with DDB Regulations such as salvia divinorum, Benzylpiperazine,
ketamine, and Alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone or flakka. People who suffered from
addiction to illegal drugs more often than not put a strain to their personal and
professional life. Aside from health concerns, these people tend to lose their homes,
families, friends and jobs. These dependents tend to have financial strains due to
their investments in illegal drugs which are very costly.

For FY 2017, the price of shabu is Php 5,000 per gram. Marijuana is priced at
Php 100 per gram. Cocaine is valued at Php 4,200 per gram, while ecstasy’s price is
at Php 1,500 per tablet. Due to the vast and porous shorelines and the various entry
and exit points in the country, the advancers of illegal activities are very resilient and
irrepressible to do illicit traffic in and out of the country. In fact, illegal drug trafficking
is the most prevalent and pervasive illegal drug activity in the Philippines. This
includes the transportation of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and
essential chemicals (CPECs), manufacture, distribution, and use of illegal drugs. In
this regard, illegal drug trafficking proves to be a huge market in the country. Drug
trafficking organizations are the foundation of illegal drug trade. They usually function
as the manufacturer of illegal drugs in and out of the country.

This results to drug syndicates, transnational and local, exploiting and utilizing
Filipinos, who are easily enticed by the huge amount of money involved, to be drug
couriers. Among these organizations are the African Drug Syndicates (ADS),
Chinese/Filipino-Chinese Drug Syndicate and the Mexican Sinaloa Drug Syndicate.
With the strong pronouncement of the President to address the country’s drug
problem at the community level, there is the continuous monitoring and assessment
of drug situation at the barangay level. As of December 2017, out of the total 42,036
barangays in the country, 24,424, or 58.10%, are drug-affected.

DEFINITION AND RELATED TERMS

 DRUGS

Drugs are chemicals that affect a person in such a

way as to bring about physiological, emotional, or
behavioral change. ‘Dangerous drugs’ are those
that have high tendency for abuse and
dependency, these substances may be organic or
synthetic, and pose harm to those who use them.

 DRUG ABUSE

Drug abuse is the continuous misuse of any substance, licit, illicit which results to
changes in an individual’s physical, mental or behavioral condition. Drug abuse
exists when a person continually uses a drug other than its intended purpose. This
continued use can lead to drug dependence, a state of physical and psychological
dependence or both on a dangerous drug.

 DRUG DEPENDENCY

This is the state of physical and psychological dependence, or both, on a dangerous

drug, or drugs, experienced by a person following the use of that substance on a
periodic or continuous basis. A person dependent on drugs will experience
withdrawal reactions (also known as “cold turkey”, symptoms that occur after long-
term use of a drug is reduced or stopped abruptly) after abstaining from drugs.

 ADDICTION

Drug addiction is a complex, and often chronic, brain disease. It is characterized by

excessive drug craving, seeking, and use. Addiction is caused by brain changes
caused by constant drug use.
REASONS FOR ABUSING DRUGS

In an article from Recovery Connection (2019), it listed ten (10) reasons why people
use drugs. It explains that there are circumstances that put a person to choice
between properly using drugs and abusing it. Here are the reasons:

1. Experimenting – It is not uncommon for addiction to stem from a person

being curious and experimenting with drugs or alcohol. It is a scenario that
often starts with a young person using alcohol or marijuana out of curiosity.
While it seems harmless, adolescents that experiment with drugs and alcohol
are more likely to develop substance use disorder according to the National
Institute on Drug Abuse.
2. Family History / Genetics - If you have a family history of drug addiction,
you may have a genetic predisposition to develop an addiction to drugs or
alcohol. It is stated that about 30% – 70% of a person’s risk for addiction is
linked to the genes they are born with along with other social factors.
3. Prescription Drugs - There is a popular misconception that any medication
prescribed by a doctor is safe. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
Doctors prescribe medications to alleviate symptoms of physical or mental
health issues. However, many individuals are not properly educated on the
risks that the medications may carry. Chronic pain is often managed through
opioid medications, which are highly addictive. Dependent upon the amount
used and other factors, someone may require a medical detox just to stop
using opioids. Likewise, those suffering from anxiety and depression may be
prescribed addictive medications to ease symptoms. Non-addictive
medication and/or pain recovery services are often available.
4. Loneliness - Addiction can start when an individual feels lonely or is isolated
from the friends and family. They turn to drugs and alcohol thinking that it will
fill a void that they have been living with. People lacking positive daily
interaction may choose to use substances to feel happy or content.
Additionally, users begin to alienate themselves further if they fear being
judged or that help is not available to them.
5. Peer Pressure - Peer pressure usually applies to adolescents or young
adults. The need to fit in, on some level, is built into each and every one of
us. Some people may feel the need to participate in potentially harmful
activities to do so. The pressure of being around others who are abusing
drugs or alcohol can push someone to follow suit.
6. Drugs And Alcohol Can Make You Feel Good - There is a popular quote in
the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous that states: “Men and women drink
essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol.” While this
seems obvious, some people like the effect so much that they are unable to
stop. It may be difficult to see the harm in something that makes you feel
good.
 7. Mental Health Disorder - Depression, anxiety, and PTSD can put individuals
at higher risk of developing an addiction. Using substances to cope with
difficult feelings may seem like an easier path for some. Though they may
seem crippling at times, there is help available to anyone struggling with a
mental health disorder. Non-narcotic medications are often available for most
mental health disorders. It’s worth researching with a doctor to see if there is
an alternative to addictive medications.
8. Recreation - Many people use drugs or alcohol socially with friends or to
“unwind” after a long day. They often see substances as a way to relax or
clear their minds. Recreational drug users are still at risk to become addicted
if their use becomes more frequent or they use highly addictive substances.
9. Alcohol Isn’t Enough - For some, alcohol stops doing the trick. A few beers
after work or having drinks with friends at a local bar just doesn’t have the
same effect that it used to. Some individuals end up “chasing a buzz” that
they were once able to attain with a few drinks. This can leave someone
powerless over alcohol and unable to quit drinking.
10. Self-Medicating - People struggling with any of a multitude of ailments may
turn to drugs or alcohol to ease their pain. Mental health disorders and
chronic pain leave some seeking solutions on their own. Alcohol or other
substances can alleviate symptoms and seem like a short-term solution.
However, people should look for manageable, long-term solutions under
medical supervision to combat these issues.

COMMONLY SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE

The profile of a drug dependent or a substance abuser is

as follows:

• Changes in attendance in school or work

• Changes in the normal capabilities in
school/work
• Abrupt changes in overall attitude
• Generally lazy, irritable, discourteous,
aggressive
• Usually untrustworthy and lacks self-confidence
• Manipulative
• Have a distorted view of reality
• Low frustration tolerance
• Con-game player
• Lacks interest in his studies/work (withdrawal from responsibilities)
• Blames everybody but himself (blame tosser)
• No respect for the rights of others
• Prefers to stay with peers (barkada)
 • May frequently go to odd places (to take drugs)
• Poor physical appearance (unconcerned with grooming and hygiene)
• Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times
• Unusual effort to cover arms to hide needle marks (long- sleeved garments)
• Stealing items which can be readily sold
• Unusual borrowing of money from relatives and friends
• Association with known drug abusers

COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS AND THEIR EFFECTS

HALLUCINOGENS

Substance & Method Of Use -

Hallucinogenic drugs are substances that
distort the perception of objective reality.
The most well-known hallucinogens
include phencyclidine, otherwise known as
PCP, angel dust, or loveboat; lysergic acid
diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or
acid; mescaline and peyote; and psilocybin, or "magic" mushrooms. Under the
influence of hallucinogens, the senses of direction, distance, and time become
disoriented. These drugs can produce unpredictable, erratic, and violent behavior in
users that sometimes leads to serious injuries and death. The effect of hallucinogens
can last for 12 hours.

LSD produces tolerance, so that users who take the drug repeatedly must
take higher and higher doses in order to achieve the same state of intoxication. This
is extremely dangerous, given the unpredictability of the drug, and can result in
increased risk of convulsions, coma, heart and lung failure, and even death

Effects - Physical risks associated with using hallucinogens:

 Increased heart rate and blood pressure

 Sleeplessness and tremors
 Lack of muscular coordination
 Sparse, mangled and incoherent speech
 Decreased awareness of touch and pain that can result in self-inflicted injuries
 Convulsions
 Coma; heart and lung failure Psychological risks associated with using
hallucinogens:
 A sense of distance and estrangement
 Depression, anxiety and paranoia
 Violent behavior
  Confusion, suspicion and loss of control
 Flashbacks
 Behavior similar to schizophrenic psychosis
 Catatonic syndrome whereby the user becomes mute, lethargic, disoriented,
and makes meaningless repetitive movements Everyone reacts differently to
hallucinogens – there’s no way to predict if someone can avoid a “bad trip”.

CANNABIS SATIVA
(MARIJUANA)

Substance & Method Of Use- Marijuana is the

most widely used illicit drug in the United States
and tends to be the first illegal drug teens use. It
can be either smoked or swallowed.

Effects- Short term effects of using marijuana:

 Sleepiness
 Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short term memory
 Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and
coordination
 Increased heart rate
 Potential cardiac dangers for those with pre-existing heart disease
 Bloodshot eyes
 Dry mouth and throat
 Decreased social inhibitions
 Paranoia, hallucinations

Long term effects of using marijuana:

 Enhanced cancer risk

 Decrease in testosterone levels for men; also lower sperm counts and
difficulty having children
 Increase in testosterone levels for women; also increased risk of
infertility
 Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure
 Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same
effect

The physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing adolescents, can be

acute. Marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your
perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. A recent study of 1,023
trauma patients admitted to a shock trauma unit found that one-third had marijuana
in their blood.
CLASSIFICATION OF DRUG ABUSERS

Substance abusers can be classified

according to the frequency of their
substance use.

1. Experimenters – people who abuse

the drug(s) for experimental basis.
2. Occasional Users – abuse the drug
occasionally/whenever there are
special occasions. They abuse the
drug once every two (2) weeks to two (2) times a week.
3. Regular Users – abuse the drug on a regular basis approximately three (3) to
four (4) times a week or every other day.
4. Drug Dependents – people who tend to abuse the drug(s) everyday (almost
every day) or about five (5) to seven (7) times a week.
5. Mentally Ill Chemical Abuser/Substance Induced Psychosis – drug
abusers who manifest signs and symptom of psychotic disorders caused by
the effects of drugs (hallucinations, disorientation, delusions, etc.)

YOUTH’S IN DRUG ABUSE

PREVENTION

As drug abuse and addiction is

prevalent in younger generation, it is
imperative that the youth take part in
its prevention and rehabilitation
efforts. Youth group or organizations
can be a vehicle in which their
community can help alleviate or eradicate the possibility of drug abuse. Whether
individually or as a group, the youth is a good driving force that could shape the
drug abuse prevention initiative of the country. Here are some ways the youth
can step up in this endeavor

1. UNDERSTAND. Know the concept and reality of drug abuse. Having a grasp
of the addiction can help in avoiding it and watching out for others.
2. LISTEN. Open yourself up in the knowledge of the experts and experiences of
others that have undergone the abuse. Hear the stories and get their lessons
to heart.
3. SHARE. Share your knowledge and network in aiding others towards being
informed and recognizing their role in drug prevention.
 4. ENCOURAGE. Give your peers and family members a good push in the right
direction whether its prevention or rehabilitation.
5. SUPPORT. Take part in activities beneficial in the drug abuse prevention
initiative. Add your presence to the growing force tackling this issue.
6. ORGANIZE. Great minds think alike. Having a mutual goal, it is more
purposeful to combine efforts and sources to create a bigger impact about the
concern.
7. INFORM. Approached appropriate government agencies regarding incidents
and cases of drug

CASE ANALYSIS

I COULD NEVER GET HIGH ENOUGH

This is the story of Cecilia, a typical college girl, full of innocence, hope and
dreams. Once a splendid life shattered by the dreary reality of curiosity, peer
pressure and thrill of living it high. This is her account…

Growing Up
I grew up in Paco, Manila with my mom, dad, brother and younger sister. My
mom and dad at the time bought a restaurant. They were always gone since it was
such a demanding business. I was home alone a lot and could do whatever I
wanted.
Rebellious Streak
I loved movies and I loved role play. I idolized rockers and the hardcore
lifestyle they lived and I wanted to be a part of it. I would sneak out to parties on the
weekends. However, this particular party is different, I vividly remember that party. I
was a freshman at college and the other girls invited me to a party that would have
all these “gorgeous guys”. I was a bit nervous and whenever a guy would come up
and talk to me, I stuttered and embarrassed myself. Then, suddenly, he was right in
front of me. He had the darkest, most beautiful eyes I had ever seen and as he
leaned in and whispered to me, I was a goner. He almost immediately had my heart.
I did not realize he was taking my future as well.
He saw right through my nervousness and told me he had something that
would help me get over it. He said he had been the same way a couple of years ago,
starting college after growing up in a small, secluded town. I was only 17 at the time,
one thing led to another and tried my first taste of the drug. I was curious about
drugs, so it was an easy sell. I gave him my heart. He gave me an addiction to
heroin.
My friends tried to talk me out of seeing him. Apparently, he was the local
college dealer and I was hooked on him. When he went home for the break, I barely
got through those days. I kept texting and calling him but he would not answer.
When he finally did, he seemed mad by my concern and let me know that he would
not be checked on. I did not remind him that he did the same thing to me a couple of
times already. I was just grateful I could hear his voice.

Living it High
That little taste started me on a path of getting high at school and then
eventually dropping out altogether. Classes interfered with my drug life. What I
thought was normal behavior was not normal at all. I was out of control and addicted
to drugs. All I wanted to do was hang out and get high – and I could never get high
enough.
During the Christmas break, he sent me home with enough heroin to get
through the holidays. However, I will never forget walking into my room and seeing
my parents, my brother and younger sister waiting there. My father was holding the
heroin. They asked me where I had gotten it but apparently they already knew, as
my best friend told them it was why we had drifted apart during the first semester.
We had a fight and I tried defending my situation. Having no exit, I left home and
wandered the streets.
I was with my boyfriend, which made it easy for me to abuse the drug. I was
living on the doorstep of death every day, almost unknowingly because I had no idea
how toxic and explosive the chemicals used were at the time. Sometimes I would be
up for days, smoking constantly. When I’d finally come down, I was totally depleted. I
would barely get out of bed for weeks.
Having no money for my habit, I even tried to stay sober at one point. I got a
job at a local gas station to support myself, but after a month I started using drugs
again. I couldn’t hold my job because I was too sick and too high to function. I tried to
lead a regular life but I found that even the simplest things were impossible. I could
barely walk through the truckloads of garbage, dirty clothes and other things I can’t
seem to remember if it’s all my belongings. I can’t eat a decent meal but instant
noodles. I can’t sleep properly. I was severely thin because I wasn’t taking care of
myself. I’m 5’4” and at one point I was about 90 pounds in weight. A few months
later, my family found me. They took me home, their frail, lanky and almost lifeless
daughter.

GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What are the things that push Cecilia to get involved with drugs? What are its
effects on her life?

The things that pushed Cecilia to get involved with drugs was her
curiosity about drugs, love and lack of guidance by her parents. It affected her
life by making her drop out of school. She no longer had control of her
addiction and always wanted to be high that she doesn’t want to do anything
else, but take drugs. It also ruined her relationship with her family and best
friend, making her leave her home and wandered the streets and lived with
her boyfriend. Having no money to support herself, she ended up being
 malnourished that when her family found her, she was frail and almost
lifeless.

2. What can she and her family do in order to aid her in her predicament? Kindly
chart or list down your treatment or rehabilitation regiment?

These are the things that Cecilia and her family can do to aid her
predicament:
 Bond together as a family
 Spend more time together as a family
 Join Bible group studies
 Read the Bible
 Go to a rehabilitation center

3. Suppose that Cecilia is your friend. What pieces of advice can you give for her
in order for her to take a step towards staying away from drugs and
maintaining a clean, drug-free life?

Supposing I’m Cecilia’s friend, I would tell her to take it slow in terms of trying to
take a step towards staying away from drugs. Going to church every Sunday, and
listen to the word of God sincerely. Reading the Bible every day. Think about her
future and her family and friends. Having a goal in life. It’s a fact that it’s not easy to
instantly forget about your addiction of something, but having a goal makes it all
worth it.
 Simons,Janet A. Irwin,Donald B.; Drinnien, Beverly
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Andres, Tomas Quintin and Pilar Corazon Ilada-Andres.: Making Filipino Values
Work for You. Makati, Philippines: St. Paul Publications, 1986.
Effective Discipline through Filipino Values. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store,
Inc., 1996.
Andres, Tomas Quintin.: “And the Pinoy Manager said… „Bahala na!‟” Philippine
Values Digest. Manila, Philippines: Values and Technologies Management
Centre, 1986.
Kartagi, Grietje.: “Introduction to Values.” Reflections on Values. Manila,
Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc., 2000.
Panopio, Isabel S.: Sociology: Focus on the Philippines. Quezon City,
Philippines: KEN Incorporated, 1994.
Espiritu, Socorro C. [Link].: Sociology in the Philippine Setting Fifth Edition.
Quezon City: SIBS Publishing House, Inc. 1998.
Gonzales, Vivian A.: Values Integration and Promotion: A Civic Welfare Service.
Los Baños, Laguna: Society Towards Reinforcing Inherent Viability for
Enrichment (SIKAP/STRIVE), Inc. 1997
Maria, Andrew.: “The House of Life”: Modules on Good Citizenship Values.
Manila, Philippines: The Institution Building Team, 2004.
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Values. Manila, Philippines: The Institution Building Team, 2004.
Almonte, Andrew Maria: “Skulls”: Modules on Good Citizenship Values. Manila,
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Manila, Philippines: The Institution Building Team, 2004
 Drug Education

Rule of the Youth on Drug Detection and Prevention

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the session, students are expected to:

a. have the knowledge about drugs that will provide an overview on

drug abuse among young people;
b. provide with a number of methods and techniques that have been
effective in addressing the problem of drug abuse among youth,
and to create some methods and techniques to help the student to
find out quickly what the drug abuse situation in their own city, town,
community, neighborhood, or school is like.

INTRODUCTION
Learning about the drug culture in the community will help the students
understand the prevention needs of young people in their community. The
substance abuse as a social phenomenon is all the more worrisome because of its
prevalence among youth. Is substance abuse is to be tackled, then it is stands to
reason that the people who should lead this effort must be the youth themselves,
since they know their own needs better than anyone else.
In order to empower concerned young people who, want to DO SOMETHING
about drugs abuse, we will start the process of putting together a tool for youth
groups to use when they want to organize and start taking action against substance
abuse.

PRESENTATION

Risk factors
A. Personal Factors
 Being a man or a woman
 Being young is in itself a risk factor
  Undeveloped or underdeveloped personal skills
B. Environmental Risk Factor
 The young person’s parents do not know how to look after him/her
emotionally, physically or in terms of providing the right kind of
support and guidance;
 The person does not have a family;
 The person’s parents, brothers or sisters abuse drugs of any kind;
 There is a lot of free unstructured time
 Few/ no opportunities for education
Protective Factors
A. Personal factors
Main factors that protect an individual against drug abuse are:
 Well- developed personal skills to deal with difficult situations such
as an ability to analyze situations, to take quick decision, to
communicate with others, to relax, to negotiate and enter into
compromises etc.,
B. Environmental Protective Factors
 Good personal connections to people including family members and
friends that encourage caring, sharing and bonding
 Adequate resources to meet physical and emotional needs of the
person;
 Cultural norms that discourage substance abuse
Basic Prevention Principles
 Understand them and keep them in the backs of your minds
 Drug abuse prevention program should be community-based, that is,
they should involve the whole community or at least the most important
parts of it.
 The program should not be too narrow in its focus;
 Try and prevent drug abuse by creating healthy and attractive
alternatives to substance abuse. Alternatives to substance abuse are
attractive if they combine and encourage individual skill development,
interesting in leisure activities and supportive attitude in the community.
Basic Prevention Principles
 Understand them and keep them in the backs of your minds
 Drug abuse prevention program should be community-based, that is,
they should involve the whole community or at least the most important
parts of it.
 The program should not be too narrow in its focus;
 Try and prevent drug abuse by creating healthy and attractive
alternatives to substance abuse. Alternatives to substance abuse are
attractive if they combine and encourage individual skill development,
interesting in leisure activities and supportive attitude in the community.
Counter- Measures for Substance Abuse

CLASSIFICATION MANAGEMENT

Abstainer Preventive Education

Experimenters
Occasional Users Counseling
Regular Users
Drug dependent Drug Rehabilitation

The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002

Section 5 – sale, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and

transportation of dangerous drugs
Section 6- maintenance of den, dive or resort
Section 11- possession of dangerous drugs
Section 15- use of dangerous drugs
Section 19- unlawful prescription of dangerous drugs
Section 36-authorized drug testing
Section 54- voluntary submission of a drug dependent to confinement, rehabilitation
Section 60- confidentiality of records under the voluntary submission
Section 61- compulsory confinement of a drug dependent who refuses to apply
under the voluntary submission.

DO THIS
ACTIVITY:
Comic Strip
Create your own comic strip dealing with a drug prevention message. There should
be a minimum of 10 frames with at least five underlined facts. Type a paragraph on
what message you are trying to convey. It can be black and white, but it must be
neat and legible. Remember to keep characters, objects, etc. appropriate!

Fact Sheet Design a public service sobriety resource fact sheet, newsletter, or
brochure (must be typed/word processed). List common signs of drug abuse,
explain the difference between social use, dependence, and addiction. Include
resources where teenagers with a drug problem can turn for help. Don’t forget to
include a list of local resources (facilities). Be neat, colorful, & organized— make
sure it looks like a final draft!

Journal Writing
As a student and a youth, what are your visions to prevent the drug abuse in your
own community? Show it in a drawing with a strong caption that can convey your
fellow youth to participate and take some actions.