Perception of Criminology Students of University of Mindanao on the

Hazard of Prohibited Drugs

Submitted by:
Kenneth D. Facon
Deniel Ken Hulpa
Rennewick Maderal
Meziel Tornilla
Carl John Soriano

GE 2 – Purposive Communication
(26)
November 16 2022
 Rationale

The consumption of drugs has increased worldwide and has become a public

health problem, affecting particularly adolescents. This study aimed to identify the

opinions of criminology students on the use of drugs and drug users, in the University of

Mindanao. Not all criminology students have a source of information to study what are

the consequences of doing drugs.

The consumption of drugs constitutes one of the behaviors that are mostly

perceived as a problem by society, since it affects especially adolescents. In the

adolescent stage, there is high prevalence of drug use. Due to its availability, nowadays,

adolescents have to learn especially criminology students how to deal with drugs, making

decisions about their abstinence. Not all drugs are illegal, it says. The caffeine in coffee,

the nicotine in cigarettes, and alcohol are technically legal drugs. Medicines are

pharmaceutical drugs used to treat or prevent illnesses. They are legal, although they

could also be abused.

Over the last 30 years, the consumption of drugs has increased alarmingly all over

the world, becoming a public health problem and the third scourge of mankind. The United

Nations Organization indicates that 5.09% of the world population from 15 to 64 years old

has already consumed drugs, and growing drug traffic on several continents affects about

200 million people in the world. This phenomenon is responsible for more than 50% of

the crimes committed by young people, considering adolescents as a vulnerable group to

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the problem of illicit drugs consumption. According to a study on drugs and crime, drinking

is the biggest issue and teens have started using illegal drugs sooner. The consumption

of marijuana was evidenced in 61,988 students, PBC in 35,143 students and 39,200

consumed cocaine. Legal drugs (alcohol and tobacco, illegal for minors though) were

mentioned by 646,755 students. Another study about ecstasy, a synthetic drug for oral

use with stimulant characteristics, indicated that secondary students unexpectedly

reported high rates of consumption (6.9%). The adolescent population of Peru

corresponds to 29 % of the entire national population, and approximately 70% of them

live in urban areas. (Hilda Luz Bolaños Gil,2008)

On June 30, 2016, new Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte took office, and his

administration immediately began an unprecedented war on narcotics. He pledged to

address the nation's illicit drug issue, which he claimed was ruining the futures of young

Filipinos and wreaking devastation on the lives of many Filipino families. According to the

Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) (the government agency mandated to formulate

policies on illegal drugs in the Philippines), there are 1.8 million current drug users in the

Philippines, and 4.8 million Filipinos report having used illegal drugs at least once in their

lives [2]. More than three-quarters of drug users are adults (91%), males (87%), and have

reached high school (80%). More than two-thirds (67%) are employed [2]. The most

commonly used drug in the Philippines is a variant of methamphetamine called shabu or

“poor man’s cocaine.” According to a 2012 United Nations report, the Philippines had the

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highest rate of methamphetamine abuse among countries in East Asia; about 2.2% of

Filipinos between the ages 16–64 years were methamphetamines users.

The drug problem in the Philippines has primarily been viewed as an issue of law

enforcement and criminality, and the government has focused on implementing a policy

of criminalization and punishment. (Nymia Simbulan, Leonardo Estacio,and Mellissa

Withers,2019).

Young individuals in this generation can gather information in a variety of methods. They

are aware of the value of drug prevention since it is preferable to assist others in avoiding

drugs than to attempt to quit using them after being addicted. Effective drug education is

important because everyday young people are to facing influence to use both licit and

illicit drugs. Education can play a counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of

safety, moderation, and informed decision making. Not all criminology students have

access to reliable sources of information, making it difficult for them to conduct studies on

the effects of drug use.

A total of ten (10) informants who are criminology students at the University of Mindanao

who are chosen as participants in the study and which will be conducted at the University

of Mindanao. The analysis methodology will be used is qualitative research. Since each

of the research members has had different sentiments towards the prohibited drugs, we

would like to hear out the majority opinion of some of our chosen student informants.

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Hypothetical questions

1. As a criminology student, what is your perception in prohibited drugs?

2. What are the factors that influence prohibited drugs?

3 What sources did you use to learn about illegal drugs?

4. How can you prevent or avoid using illegal drugs?

5. Why do drugs make people addicted?

References

Bellza, A.N and Bolo, R.G (2017). Perception of Criminology Students on the Hazard of

Prohibited Drugs. (Undergraduate Thesis). University of Mindanao.

Gil. H.L.B (August 2008). Perception of adolescents on the consumption of drugs: a cases

study in Lima Peru: Published by Scientific Electronics Library Online.

Simbulan. N, Estacio L. & Withers, M. (2016) The manila declaration on the drug problem

in the philippines. Published by ann glo health.

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