MODULE 5

DRUG EDUCATION

Training Objectives

1. Define a drug.
2. Enumerate the different prohibited or commonly abused drug.
3. Describe the characteristics of a drug addict.
4. Determine a holistic understanding of one’s true identity and worth.

Duration
Twelve (12) Hours

Relevance to the Society/ Oneself

Watch the movie Anak and answer the following questions.

1. How do you feel as you watch the film? Why do you say so?
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2. What did you observe with the character who was addicted to drugs? Describe her
character.
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3. How do drugs affect one?

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4. Why do you think youth must be educated on the matter of prohibited drugs?
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Processing Feedback

Understanding drug use, drug abuse, and addiction

People experiment with drugs for many different

reasons. Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a
good time, because friends are doing it, or in an effort
to improve athletic performance or ease another
problem, such as stress, anxiety, or depression.
Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there
is no specific level at which drug use moves from
casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug
abuse and addiction is less about the amount of
substance consumed or the frequency, and more to do with
the consequences of drug use. No matter how often or how little you’re
consuming, if your drug use is causing problems in your life—at work, school, home,
or in your relationships—you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem.

If you are worried about your own or a friend or family member’s drug use, it is important
to know that help is available. Learning about the nature of drug abuse and addiction—how it
develops, what it looks like, and why it can have such a powerful hold—will give you a better
understanding of the problem and how to deal with it.

A drug is a chemical substance that brings about physical, emotional or

behavioral change in a person taking it. They are taken through the following –
ingestion, inhalation, injection, as suppository or applied topically.

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:

 Using, without benefit or prescription, useful drugs which have the

capacity to alter mood or behavior;
 Using drugs and substances for a purpose different from the one for
which the drug has been prescribed; and

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  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.

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.

Some people are able to use recreational or prescription drugs without ever
experiencing negative consequences or addiction. For many others, substance can cause
problems at work, home, school, and in relationships, leaving you feeling isolated, helpless, or
ashamed.

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

Risk factors that increase your vulnerability include:

o Family history if addiction

o Abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences in childhood
o Mental disorders such as depression and anxiety
o Early use of drugs
o Method of administration—smoking or injecting a drug may increase its addictive
potential

Warning Signs of Drug Addiction

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.

We can tell if someone is into drug abuse by observing a lot of changes – in behavior, in
appearance and in mood. Sudden changes occur in the person’s disposition from pleasant to
unpleasant.

Physical Warning Signs of Drug Abuse

o Loss of short term memory

o Trouble stringing together simple sentences and slurred speech
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 o Decrease in appetite and severe mood swings
o Poor personal hygiene
o Active one minute and subdued the next
o Inability to concentrate for even short period of time
o Dilated pupils
o Serious changes in facial coloring

Emotional Signs of Drug Abuse

o Highs and lows, a negative outlook on life

o Loss of interest in all social activities even with close friends
o Withdrawn, depressed, serious self esteem issues
o Happy one minute and angry the next
o Fighting with family members and friends for no reason
o Sleeps in all day after a night out with friends
o Refusal to participate in school and family activities
o Denies there is a substance abuse problem even after they’ve been caught with
drugs and other possession
o Promises to get help but then doesn’t follow through with those promises

Academic Problems

o Poor marks in school when grades used to be better

o Cutting class, ditching school all together and having a general bad attitude
about attendance
o Being argumentative with their superiors
o A total loss of interest in their studies and anything school related

Problems with Family, Friends, and Relationships

o Is absent for family functions

o Doesn’t make eye contact or engage at all with siblings
o Spends most of his or her time in the room
o Is at home less and less
o Has a whole new set of friends and doesn’t talk to their old friends at all
o Flakes out on plans all the time

Problems with the Law

o Never had a problem with the law before but now is constanty in trouble
o The police have visited the home on more than one occasion
o Lies about where he/she has been
o Hangs out with known trouble makers
o Has been accused of shoplifting and petty theft crimes

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Drug Problems in the Philippines (insert figure with a source)

Reports of drug related crime are common in the Philippines media. The main concern
tends to be towards metamphetamine or shabu which gets the most media attention. It does
seem that need to educate young people as to the dangers of drug use, and there is no legal
drug use is on the rise, and this has worrying implications for the future. There is an urgent
need to help those who are already addicted to escape their misery. Failure to do this could
mean there will be further deterioration within many Filipino communities.

Statistics for Drug Problems in the Philippines (insert figure a source)

Drug substance abuse has taken an alarming proportion of the Country’s problems at
the turn of the 21st century. One point five million (1.5 million) Filipinos are users, with the youth
taking the hardest hit. They are the greatest number of drug users. Among them are more than
350, 000 identified high school students in the Country. A survey by the University of the
Philippines Population Institute showed that the initial age of use of nicotine, alcohol and drugs
is 16-17. Forty percent (40%) of the males surveyed were smoking and thirty-seven percent
(37%) of the youth regularly used alcohol.

A US government report in 2009 concluded that illegal drug use was a significant
problem in the Philippines due to corruption and poor law enforcement. There was particular
concern expressed about the amount of metamphetamine (shabu) and cannabis production in
the area. Drug addiction appears to be on the rise in the Philippines. There are believed to be
as many as 6.7% million drug abusers according to figures from 2004—this is a dramatic
increase from 1972 when there was only believed to have been around 20,000 drug users in the
Philippines. The drug that is most abused in the Philippines continues to be alcohol—they are
the second highest consumers of alcohol drinks in South East Asia.

The State recognizes this dilemma hence, the 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 (IDADIN) was created to
monitor drug use/abuse.

Drug education and campaigns including Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s

“Barkada Laban sa Droga” was encouraged especially in educational institutions. Drug

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education program for the youth is a significant undertaking in order to keep them away from the
dangers of substance abuse.

Commonly Abused Drugs

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

1. Sedatives—most commonly alcohol but also GHB, flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), and to a lesser
extent, temazepam (Restoril), and midazolam
(Versed) are well known for their use as date
rape drugs (also called Mickey) and being
administered to unsuspecting patrons in bars
or guests at parties to reduce the intended
victim’s defenses.

2. Stimulants
a. Amphetamines
—prescribed as either racemic
amphetamine or
dextroamphetamine) increase the heart and
respiration rates, increase blood pressure
and in some users, dilate the pupils of the
eyes and decrease appetite.
b. Methylenedioxymethaphetamine (MDMA) is a drug that comes either in tablet or
capsule form (known as ecstasy, zoom, scrap), as powder or crystal.
c. Norepinephrine—dopamine reuptake inhibitor
d. 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.

e. Caffeine is a drug that is found

naturally in coffee, tea, and to a
small extent cocoa. It is also found
in many softdrinks particularly
energy drinks. Caffeine stimulates

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 the body, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and alertness, making some people feel
better and able to concentrate.

f. Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly

in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato,
eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper.

g. Ampakines, or eugeroics, (good arousal). These

stimulants tend to increase alertness without the
peripheral (body) effects or addiction/tolerance/abuse
potential of the traditional stimulants.

3. Hallucinogens are among the oldest

drugs, substances naturally occur in
mushrooms, cacti and a variety of other
plants.

4. Narcotics—an example is referring to

cannabi, because the term is often used

broadly, inaccurately or pejoratively outside
the medical contexts, most medical
professionals prefer the more precise term
opioid, which refer to natural, semi-synthetic,
and synthetic substances that behave
pharmacologically like morphine, the primary
active constituent of natural opium poppy.

According to General Edgar C. Galvante,

former Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board, most drug users start their habit early
– usually during their teenage years. These years are identified as periods of exploration,
curiosity and search for identity. It is likewise believed that young people with problematic
backgrounds are more susceptible to drug addiction. These young people in difficult

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circumstances are associated with poverty, family disintegration, relocation, discrimination and
lack of suitable alternative activities.

Thus, positive behavior, including the constructive handling of feelings and

responsibilities should be encouraged in families even in the early stages of a person’s life and
these should be nurtured by a caring and understanding community.

Yet, the sad reality is, a lot of parents who are supposed to guide the youth fall on any of
these categories: 1) too busy; 2) have not finished schooling and are equally innocent of the ill-
effects of drugs; or 3) disciplinarians who use violence in enforcing discipline, thus driving the
child away from home.

Adolescence is likewise the stage where an individual has a continuing search for
identity and niche in the society. In this period, peer influence is strongest. 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. He has little or no self-
control.

Hence, a strong grasp of one’s identity and a strong foundation of values are necessary
to help a person decide whether an influence could do him/her good or harm.

Let us process the discussion through answering the following questions.

1. What is a drug?
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2. What are the commonly abused drugs?

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3. What are the prohibited drugs?

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 4. What are the characteristics of a drug addict?
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Class Dynamics

A. Using the following activities, make your own journal-portfolio. This will be submitted
a week before we start module six.

1. Form a group of five members and identify and discuss which pitfall of not
knowing one’s identity you can relate with.
2. Write about your experiences in life and how you think they have influenced who
you are today.
3. Form a group of five members and discuss this question:
“What experiences did you have that affirmed your identity or caused insecurity
about your identity?”

B. Think of the person in the case as real live patients. Put on yourself as a counselor
therapist and provide the most appropriate answers to the questions relative to the
case studies.

C. Conduct a case study on drug rehabilitated patient and a doctor. Below is a case
study sample.

Generalization

Please reiterate the objectives we have set and justify if we have achieved the
objectives.
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Rubric

ACTIVITIES 4 3 2 1
All Questions All and nearly Nearly all questions Almost all
leading to the all Questions leading to the questions leading
relevance to the leading to the relevance to the to the relevance to
society or relevance to the society or oneself the society or
oneself were society or were answered. oneself were not
Relevance to answered oneself were Acceptable answered.
the Society or clearly; all are answered grammatical and
Oneself justifiable. clearly; some mechanical errors.
Grammar and were justifiable.
mechanics were Grammar and
observed mechanics
properly. found to have
minimal errors.
All desired All or nearly all Nearly all desired Almost all desired
objectives were desired objectives were objectives were
formulated objectives were formulated through not formulated
through formulated answering guide through answering
answering guide through questions. guide questions.
Formulation of questions. answering Acceptable
Objectives Grammar and guide grammatical and
mechanics were questions. mechanical errors.
observed Grammar and
properly. mechanics
found to have
minimal errors.
All Questions All and nearly Nearly all were Almost all
were answered all were answered. questions were not
clearly; all are answered Acceptable answered.
justifiable/ clearly; some grammatical and
Processing correct. were justifiable/ mechanical errors.
Feedback Grammar and correct.
mechanics were Grammar and
observed mechanics
properly. found to have
minimal errors.
Class The journal The journal The journal portfolio The journal
Dynamics portfolio is portfolio is is complete. portfolio is
logical, complete. Photographs are incomplete.
systematic and Photographs labeled and
supported with were Grammar captions are
necessary and mechanics present. Acceptable
information. found to have grammatical and
Photographs minimal errors. mechanical errors
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 were labeled Creativity is
and captions are evident.
present.
Grammar and
mechanics were
observed
properly.
Creativity is
evident.
All questions All and nearly Nearly all questions Almost all
were answered all questions were answered. questions leading
clearly; all are were answered; Acceptable to the relevance to
justifiable. some justifiable. grammatical and the society or
Generalization
Grammar and Grammar and mechanical errors. oneself were not
mechanics were mechanics answered.
observed found to have
properly. minimal errors.
Overall Score
Adapted from Rosales, Ma. Junithesmer D. and Milagrina A. Gomez. Field Study 1 Manual: The
Learner’s Development and Environment. Philippines: Allen Adrian Books, 2011.

Works Cited

BOOKS

Labuguen, Florida C. et al. Understanding the National Service Training Program: A

Modular Worktext for NSTP 1. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House, 2012

Rosales, Ma. Junithesmer D. and Milagrina A. Gomez. Field Study 1 Manual: The Learner’s
Development and Environment. Philippines: Allen Adrian Books, 2011.

The Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984

ELECTRONIC SOURCES

Seven case Studies of People with Substance Abuse Problems.

http://www.cnsproductions.com/pdf/casestudies.pdf

Case Study 3. http://www.interventionsolutions.com/Case_Studies_3.asp

http://www.kln.ac.lk/uokr/ARS2007/2.12.pdf

http://pdea.gov.ph/our-accomplishments.html

OTHERS

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Anak. Dir. Rory Quintos. Perf. Vilma Santos, Claudine Barretto, Baron Geisler, and Joel Torre,
Star Cinema, 2000.

Red Ribbon. http://wolves.dsc.k12.ar.us/administration/personnel/img/redribbon4.gif

Sedatives. http://alterilinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/sedatives.jpeg

http://store.bbcomcdn.com/store/deploy/images/category/sub_and_featured/caffeine_stim
ulant_products/caffeine_stimulants_featured.jpg

Cigarette.http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/files/images/s_0.jpg

Stimulant Abuse. http://stimulantabuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Stimulant-Abuse.png

Harvested Poppy Capsules.

http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5092573c69bedd5271000036-1024-
768/harvested-poppy-capsules.jpg?maxX=400

Hallucinogens.http://go.sky.com/SVOD/SKYDOCUMENTARIES/IMAGES/National
%20Geographic%20Channel/D/Drugs%20Inc%202/L_DrugsInc2_Hallucinogens.JPG

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