Drug Abuse

DEFINITION:

DRUG ABUSE

- Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and
behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine.
Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you're
addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.

EFFECTS:

EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN

All drugs–nicotine, cocaine, marijuana and others–affect the brain’s “reward” circuit, which is part of the
limbic system. This area of the brain affects instinct and mood. Drugs target this system, which causes
large amounts of dopamine—a brain chemical that helps regulate emotions and feelings of pleasure—to
flood the brain. This flood of dopamine is what causes a “high.” It’s one of the main causes of drug
addiction.

Although initial drug use may be voluntary, drugs can alter brain chemistry. This can actually change
how the brain performs and interfere with a person’s ability to make choices. It can lead to intense
cravings and compulsive drug use. Over time, this behavior can turn into a substance dependency or
drug and alcohol addiction.

Alcohol can have short- and long-term effects on the brain and disrupts the brain’s communication
pathways. These can influence mood, behavior and other cognitive function.

Brain damage may also occur through alcohol-induced nutrition deficiencies, alcohol-induced seizures
and liver disease. In pregnant women, alcohol exposure can impact the brains of unborn babies,
resulting in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

It is reported that alcohol-induced brain problems can often be corrected with proper treatment.
Abstinence from alcohol for months or years can help partially repair thinking abilities, like memory

EFFECTS ON ONE’S BEHAVIOR

- Paranoia

- Aggressiveness

- Hallucinations

- Addiction
- Impaired Judgement

- Impulsiveness

- Loss of Self-Control

EFFECTS ON UNBORN BABIES

Illicit drug use poses risks for pregnant women and their babies. Drugs may contain impurities that can
be harmful to an unborn baby. Pregnant women who use drugs may be more likely to harm the fetus
with risky behaviors and poor nutrition. Drug use can lead to premature birth or low birth weight. It can
also cause the baby to have withdrawal symptoms (sometimes in the form of neonatal abstinence
syndrome), birth defects or learning and behavioral problems later in life.

DISADVANTAGES

Drug use can lead to dependence and addiction, injury and accidents, health problems, sleep issues, and
more. Drug use affects you and those close to you.

IMPACT

Drug abuse affects almost all countries of the world. In the Philippines it has reached epidemic
proportions and is one of the top priorities on the government’s agenda. However, there are many
questions to be answered in order to come up with a comprehensive program to address this problem.
This study will attempt to determine the economic, political, and social context of the use of illegal drugs
in the Philippines. The prevalence of illegal drugs in the Philippines has not been accurately determined.
However, estimates by the UNODC showed the annual prevalence for marijuana is 3.5 percent,
amphetamine-type stimulants 2.8 percent, and ecstasy .01 percent of the population above 15 years of
age. According to the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2003, it is estimated that there are
1.8 million drug users in the Philippines, which is equivalent to 2.2 percent of the population. There are a
variety of factors that influence illegal drug prevalence in the Philippines, namely geographic factors that
make patrolling and protecting the country from smugglers of methamphetamine and planters of
marijuana difficult; economic factors such as poverty; social factors such as the phenomenon of the
overseas contract worker; media exposure and the decreasing moral fabric of the society; and political
factors such as policies, drug laws, and enforcement.

SOLUTIONS

Health-based rehabilitation programs adapted to Filipino culture and communities. These have been
shown to reduce recidivism rates dramatically and to lead to secondary benefits such as community
protection. These community-based programs have also been shown to be more effective in dealing with
the majority of drug users who are not severely addicted to illicit substances.6 (See below for a fuller
discussion of these approaches.)

Enforcement actions focused on reducing supply by investing time and resources on in-depth
investigations that will result in the capture of high-level drug suppliers rather than low-level dealers.
Any enforcement action, regardless of its target and the nature of the violation, must be conducted
within the bounds of law and due process.

Reduction of demand by investing in prevention programs that are informed by a rigorous study of
reasons for why individuals start and sustain drug use.

RESPONSE

When Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office on June 30, 2016, his government launched
an unprecedented campaign against illegal drugs. He promised to solve the illegal drug problem in the
country, which, according to him, was wreaking havoc on the lives of many Filipino families and
destroying the future of the Filipino youth. He declared a “war on drugs” targeting users, peddlers,
producers and suppliers, and called for the Philippine criminal justice system to put an end to the drug
menace

AVOIDANCE

1. Drug Supply Reduction

The object is to take away the drugs from the person through market denial operations and prevention
of diversion from the licit to the illicit market.

2. Drug Demand Reduction

The aim is to take away the person from drugs and reduce his desire to abuse drugs.

3. Alternative Development

Aims to reduce the production of marijuana and eventually eliminate its cultivation through sustainable
rural development & alternative livelihood programs.

4. Civic Awareness and Response

The concept is to promote public awareness on the evils of dangerous drugs & social response by
advocating the non-use of dangerous drugs. Production and Distribution of Information, Education,
Communication (IEC) materials and collaterals.

5. Regional and International Cooperation

The intent is to forge and foster cooperation with regional and international agencies. Adhering to
treaties, formulating agreements, conducting tie-up projects.Attending foreign conferences, exchanging
drug reports, hosting study tours and field visits, sharing of best practices.

LAW TOWARDS DRUG ABUSE

Republic Act No. 9165

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002, REPEALING REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 6425, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 1972, AS AMENDED,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known and cited as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act
of 2002”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — 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.

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.

It is further declared the policy of the State to provide effective mechanisms or measures to re-integrate
into society individuals who have fallen victims to drug abuse or dangerous drug dependence through
sustainable programs of treatment and rehabilitation.