ILOILO City – Demand for party drugs is expected to surge this holiday season, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6. “I call on the community to help us in our campaign against illegal drugs. Malaking tulong kayo by giving us information about those into the illegal drug trade,” said Director Alex Tablate.
Party drugs, also called club drugs or rave drugs, are recreational drugs that have stimulating properties. Regular use can lead to the user craving more of the drug, resulting to addiction.
Of particular concern to the PDEA are the seaports where drug traffickers are known to slip their stocks.
“We will be utilizing 10 K-9 dogs aside from partnering with the police,” said Tablate.
“K-9” (a homophone of “canine”) are dogs trained to assist law enforcers detect contrabands such as illegal drugs and explosives.
Party drugs have adverse effects to health and behavior. Among these are increased heart rate, a steep increase in body temperature, increase in blood pressure, spasms and dehydration, breathing and respiratory issues, drowsiness, nausea and confusion, anxiety, stress, even hallucination.
In the worst cases, party drugs can result in the death of the user from cardiac arrest or water intoxication due to the increase in heart rate and thirstiness induced.
“We need to double our efforts in monitoring the entry of illegal drugs. We expect a high demand for them this Christmas season when most people have money,” said Tablate.
PDEA will also be focusing on party places where party drugs may be traded and used most especially by youngsters, he added.
The PDEA director, however, stressed the supply of illegal drugs in Iloilo significantly dropped following the deaths of drug lords Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr. in August 2016 in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan and Richard “Buang” Prevendido in September 2017 in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district here.
In Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, however, said Tablate, drug trafficking remains a challenge.
“Our office will not stop going around checking areas if party drugs are being used,” Tablate said.
“Please help us in our campaign. Give us information. PDEA and the police could not stop drug trafficking without the help of the community,” he stressed./PN
