Module 4 Prohibited Drug Prevention and Drug Education
Module 4 Prohibited Drug Prevention and Drug Education
Module 4 Prohibited Drug Prevention and Drug Education
Module 4
PROHIBITED DRUG PREVENTION AND DRUG EDUCATION
Overview:
The prevalence of illegal drug use in the Philippines is lower than the global average,
according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Two of the most used
and valuable illegal drugs in the country are methamphetamine hydrochloride (known locally
as shabu) and marijuana. In 2012, the United Nations said the Philippines had the highest
rate of methamphetamine use in East Asia, and according to a U.S. State Department report,
2.1 percent of Filipinos aged 16 to 64 use the drug based on 2008 figures by the Philippines
Dangerous Drugs Board. As of 2016, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report
that 1.1 percent of Filipinos aged 10 to 69 use the drug. In Metro Manila, most barangays are
affected by illegal drugs.
The drug situation in the country may have similarities with other countries. However,
there are also distinct problems in the country which may need distinct solutions. It is,
therefore, vital to carefully look into the drug situation in the country.
Drug user profile indicates that majority of drug dependents in the country are poly-
drug users or users who use several types of illegal drugs. More often than not, the abuse is
done mainly for pleasure. There are also cases where illegal drugs are used by individuals to
cope with the demands of their work, like those working in graveyard shifts, or working for
long hours and the like. The availability of illegal drugs encourages them to take illicit drugs.
Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu remains to be the most abused drug in the country,
followed by marijuana or cannabis sativa and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or
ecstasy. Ecstasy, well known for being a “party drug,” which is commonly used in parties and
nightlife, is considered as the most expensive drug in the market. Solvents and other inhalants
are also a preference and are usually abused by street children.
Drug education enables children, youth and adults to develop the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes to appreciate the benefits of living healthily (which may or may not include the
use of psychoactive substances), promote responsibility towards the use of drugs and relate
these to their own actions and those of others, both now and in their future lives. It also
provides opportunities for people to reflect on their own and others' attitudes to various
psychoactive substances, their use, and the people who use them.
The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), with the help of various implementing agencies
and organizations in the Philippines, has a range of educational programs and services
designed to cater to the needs of every sector of society. It has programs that engage the
youth, address the needs of parents, and provide employers, educators, health professionals,
policymakers, and other sectors with information on the prevention and control of drug use.
2
This module focuses on drug abuse and drug education. In this module, we will be
aware of commonly abused drugs, symptoms of drug addiction, ways of helping someone
with addiction, and legislations pertaining to drug prevention and drug education.
Objectives:
Course Materials:
Drug abuse or substance abuse refers to the use of certain chemicals for the purpose of
creating pleasurable effects on the brain. There are over 190 million drug users around the
world and the problem has been increasing at alarming
rates, especially among young adults under the age of 30.
Moreover, 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 process:
3
• Using drugs and substances having no legitimate medical application for
purposes other than research.
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.
Drugs that are commonly abused, depending on the pharmacological effects, may
be
classified into:
2. Stimulants. Stimulants are a class of drugs that speed up the messages between the
brain and the body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or
energetic.
These cause stimulation of the brain, giving rise to alertness and increased bursts of
activity. A rapid heart rate, dilated pupils, raised blood pressure, nausea or vomiting
4
and behavioral changes such as agitation, and impaired judgment may also result. In
severe cases, there may be delusional psychosis which can occur with the use of
cocaine and amphetamines.
Some types of amphetamines are legally prescribed by doctors to treat conditions such
as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy (where a person has
an uncontrollable urge to sleep). Amphetamines have also been used to treat
Parkinson’s disease. Other types of amphetamines such as speed are produced and
sold illegally. Amphetamines have been also been taken as performance
enhancement drugs. The most potent form is crystal methamphetamine (ice).
c. Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca shrub. It is a stimulant not normally
prescribed therapeutically for its stimulant properties, although it sees clinical use as
a local anesthetic, particularly in ophthalmology.
5
• Crack: crystals ranging in colour from white or cream to transparent with a pink
or yellow hue, it may contain impurities.
6
involved in the control of behavioral, perceptual, and regulatory systems, including
mood, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, muscle control, and sensory
perception.
Hallucinogens are among the oldest drugs, substances naturally occur in mushrooms,
cacti and a variety of other plants.
Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In
addition to its physical aspects,
dependency on drugs affects mood,
shapes perception, and changes
behavior. The emotional and
psychological aspects of drug addiction
are every bit as powerful and life-altering
as the physical effects of substance
dependence, and all must be accounted
for if treatment is to succeed. Fortunately,
treatment for drug addiction can be highly
effective, if recovering addicts are willing
to accept the challenges involved in overcoming a troublesome and persistent behavioral
health condition.
7
Physical Symptoms of Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a brain disease that causes changes in neurological structure and action.
These alterations inhibit or deform brain functioning and are responsible for some of the direct
physical characteristics of drug addiction. In addition to the neurological side effects, a slow
decline in overall physical health is one of the inevitable characteristics of drug abuse.
• Cravings and withdrawal. Addicts go from wanting drugs to needing them in order to
feel well, and if those needs are frustrated they will begin to experience withdrawal
symptoms within a few hours of their last dosage. Those symptoms can include panic
attacks, insomnia, elevated heart rate, shakiness or weakness, headaches, nausea,
muscle cramps, and extreme anxiety or nervousness.
• Growing tolerance. As their dependency progresses, drug addicts must consume
larger quantities of their drugs of choice to experience the same effects. High tolerance
can prompt drug addicts to consume dosages that put them at significant risk for
overdose.
• Changes in appearance. Some of the outward signs of drug abuse include
excessively dry or bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, tooth decay, significant weight loss,
pale skin, hair loss, and the presence of sores that won’t heal.
• More frequent illnesses. Drug abuse damages immune system functioning and
alters body chemistry in multiple ways. This makes addicts more prone to colds, flus,
pneumonia, allergy attacks, bacterial infections, and a host of other potential illnesses
or diseases.
• Chronic physical health conditions. Long-term drug abuse can increase risk for
numerous physical ailments and conditions, including heart disease, high blood
pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, liver or kidney disease, chronic respiratory troubles,
skin disorders, and insomnia. Those who inject drugs and share needles are at
elevated risk for hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
Drug addiction alters perception, can distort thinking, creates emotional imbalances,
and leaves sufferers with a damaged sense of self-esteem.
8
• Rationalization and denial. People addicted to drugs erect walls of denial to protect
themselves from the truth, and the attempts of loved ones to break through those walls
will bring a string of excuses and rationalizations, which the drug abuser will actually
believe.
• Stronger symptoms of mental illness. In 2016, 43.3 percent of people with drug
abuse problems also suffered from some form of mental illness, and the symptoms of
mental disorders are likely to intensify when complicated by substance dependence.
• Impulsivity. As time passes drug addicts may lose their inhibitions and suffer from
impaired judgement, which leads them to make rash and questionable decisions that
may seem completely out of character.
• Feelings of guilt and shame. People with addictions often feel deeply ashamed
because of their inability to stop using drugs, and they also feel guilty about the pain
their behavior causes for loved ones.
• Hallucinations and delusions. At the extreme edges of addiction, people who abuse
drugs repeatedly may begin to lose touch with reality, to the point where immediate
medical intervention is required.
The inner feelings of drug addicts may be somewhat difficult to decode, but their
behavior will show clear signs of their drug dependency, and of the desperation and chaos it
is creating in their lives.
• Lying and manipulative behavior. People trapped by drug addiction will habitually
lie about their actions and whereabouts. They also won’t hesitate to manipulate others
to get what they want (which is more drugs). But over time, they tell so many lies or
half-truths that eventual exposure is inevitable.
• Blaming others for life problems. Unable to see through their own rationalizations,
people dependent on drugs will usually blame others, or bad luck, or life
circumstances, for their troubles. They become experts at making excuses to deflect
responsibility and protect themselves from exposure.
• Neglectfulness. As drug addiction deepens sufferers will begin to neglect their
responsibilities, as parents, family members, friends, employees, students, and
citizens. Drugs become their priority, and the physical and emotional toll of their drug
abuse can make it difficult to manage—or even remember—their personal
responsibilities.
• Drugs take over. Addicts will spend enormous amounts of time using drugs, thinking
about them, trying to obtain them, or attempting to manage the fallout from their
prodigious drug consumption.
• Involvement in criminal activity, as perpetrator and/or victim. Much of it may
involve stealing, either drugs or the money to buy them. But addicts often become
9
impulsive and lose their capacity to make wise decisions, which leads them into other
kinds of trouble as well (i.e., driving while intoxicated, getting involved in fights or
incidents of domestic violence, choosing dangerous and untrustworthy companions,
visiting high-crime districts in search of drugs, etc.).
Helping a friend or loved one struggling with drug addiction is often a long and
heartbreaking journey. At times, it can be so overwhelming that ignoring the situation may
seem like an easier solution. However, sweeping the issue under the rug can be damaging to
you, your family and the person you’re concerned about. As painful as it may be, it’s important
that you take the time to encourage your loved one to get the help they need.
Helping a loved one who is struggling with substance use isn’t easy, and there’s no
magic formula that will get your loved one to stop using. However, here are some suggestions
on how to help a loved one get treatment for their drug addiction:
• Educate Yourself About Addiction. You see what you know. Until you have
knowledge about addiction and the symptoms of drug abuse, it’s easy to miss the
signs that are right in front of you. Addiction is complex, and it’s okay if you don’t know
everything right away. However, taking the time to understand your loved one’s
disease and how it affects them is incredibly beneficial to both you and your loved one.
It also helps you be more aware of the signs that your loved one needs help.
• Offer Your Support. People with addiction don’t always understand how much their
family and friends love them. Talk to your loved one about your concerns, and don’t
wait for them to hit rock bottom to speak up. Let them know that you’re going to support
them on their journey to recovery.
• Encourage Them to Get Help. As with other diseases, the earlier addiction is treated,
the better. However, don’t be surprised if you’re met with denial or excuses as to why
they can’t or won’t seek treatment. Be persistent about how important it is that they
enter treatment for their addiction, but avoid making them feel guilty or ashamed in the
process. Another option is to hold an intervention for your loved one. Although these
are often difficult to do, an intervention may be exactly what your loved one needs if
they’re deep into their addiction. Consider bringing in an intervention specialist to help
you navigate this process.
• Support Recovery as an Ongoing Process. Once your loved one decides to enter
treatment, it’s essential that you remain involved. Continue supporting their
participation in ongoing care, meetings and recovery support groups. Be the support
system that they need, and show them that you’ll be there every step of the way.
10
• Take Care of Yourself. Although you may see this as selfish, it’s incredibly important
that you’re able to be there for others and make the best decisions possible. Make
sure your own needs are met by getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well.
Don’t be afraid to go to therapy to get help if you find yourself struggling due to your
loved one’s drug addiction.
When talking to a loved one about getting treatment for their addiction, here are some things
to avoid:
The Act shall be known and cited as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002”.
It is the policy of the State to safeguard the integrity of its territory and the well-being
of its citizenry particularly the youth, from the harmful effects of dangerous drugs on their
physical and mental well-being, and to defend the same against acts or omissions detrimental
to their development and preservation. In view of the foregoing, the State needs to enhance
further the efficacy of the law against dangerous drugs, it being one of today’s more serious
social ills.
11
Toward this end, the government shall pursue an 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. The government shall however aim to achieve a balance in the
national drug control program so that people with legitimate medical needs are not prevented
from being treated with adequate amounts of appropriate medications, which include the use
of dangerous drugs.
Instruction on drug abuse prevention and control shall be integrated in the elementary,
secondary and tertiary curricula of all public and private schools, whether general, technical,
vocational or agro-industrial as well as in nonformal, informal and indigenous learning
systems. Such instructions shall include: (1) Adverse effects of the abuse and misuse of
dangerous drugs on the person, the family, the school and the community; (2) Preventive
measures against drug abuse; (3) Health, socio-cultural, psychological, legal and economic
dimensions and implications of the drug problem; (4) Steps to take when intervention on behalf
of a drug dependent needed, as well as the services available for the treatment and
rehabilitation of drug dependents; and (5) Misconceptions about the use of dangerous drugs
such as, but not limited to, the importance and safety of dangerous drugs for medical and
therapeutic use as well as the differentiation between medical patients and drug dependents
in order to avoid confusion and accidental stigmatization in the consciousness of the
students otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001.
Strengthening the Support Mechanism for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
By virtue of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 ( Republic Act (R.A.)
No. 9165), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was created for the efficient and
effective law enforcement of all the provisions on dangerous drugs and/or precursors and
essential chemicals as provided in R.A. No.9165;
Pursuant to R.A. No. 9165, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is the policy-making
and strategy-formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on
drug prevention and control.
R.A. No. 9165 provides for the abolition of the drug enforcement units of the
Philippines National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of
Customs; also provides that the personnel of the abolished units shall continue to perform
their task as detail service with the PDEA until such time that the PDEA is fully operational
and is able to recruit a sufficient number of new personnel to do the task themselves;
12
The PDEA, as the lead agency tasked to enforce R.A. No.9165, is still in its transition
period and still has to develop its institutional capabilities to be able to accomplishment its
mandated task;
Other agencies of the Government have trained drug enforcement personnel who can
help PDEA fulfill its tasks.
An Act Integrating Drug Prevention and Control in the Intermediate and Secondary
Curricula as Well as in the Non-Formal, Informal and Indigenous Learning Systems
and For Other Purposes
There shall be integrated in the intermediate and secondary curricula whether in public
or private schools as well as in the non-formal, informal and indigenous learning programs the
ill effects of drugs abuse, drug addiction, or drug dependency.
ASSESSMENTS
Task 1:
Answer the following:
1. Discuss the four commonly abused drugs and the effect to one’s body.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
13
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Explain why the youth must be educated on the matter of illegal drugs.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Task 2:
Instructions: Prepare a brochure to be used for awareness campaign on drug addiction and
prevention. This will be distributed to schools and barangays.
14
REFERENCES
Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Definition of Amphetamines and Their Effect. Retrieved from
https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/amphetamines/
Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Definition of Stimulants and Their Effect. Retrieved from
https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/stimulants/
15
https://pdea.gov.ph/laws-and-
regulations#:~:text=WHEREAS%2C%20by%20virtue%20of%20the,No.
16