2 Meg Awayan (act)

8 Danielle Delica (see)

I. See
https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/faqs/effects-of-drug-abuse/
Description of the Issue
Substance abuse refers to the excessive intake of hazardous psychoactive substances, which
include alcohol and illicit drugs (such as marijuana and nicotine). It can start with the
experimental use of drugs during social events, exposure to medication, or just from the person’s
curiosity. It also refers to people being too dependent on the said substances and uses it in the
wrong or excessive way.

Substance abuse is illegal for it has a lot of effects that will truly affect the community,
society, relationships between family and friends badly. It can cause chaos and a lot of
misunderstandings.

Cause:
>Peer pressure from his/her society or friends.
>Problems that wasn’t able to handle.
>Midlife crisis
>Personality clash (confusions) or curiosity
>Legality (some parts of the world has legalized the usage of some drugs such as marijuana)
>Neglected childhood trauma
>Early exposure to these substances like drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
>Lack of guidance from their guardians, family, parents.
>Family being exposed to the said substances that leads the children to abuse these as well.
>Stress(anxiety, environmental aw emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and environmental
stress)

Effects:
>Lung disease
>Experience health problems like heart, lung, kidney diseases and a lot more.
>Tendency to commit crime because of not being in the right state of mind (loss of self-
control)
>Brain damage which could affect how the brain performs and affects the person’s ability to
make choices
>Unhealthy relationship between families, friends and neighbors. Prone to having conflicts,
misunderstandings within the family.
>Premature birth or low birth weight (birth defects or learning and behavioral problems)
 Current News https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/23/19/teen-dies-in-suspected-drug-overdose-
during-sinulog-party
Last January 2019, during a Sinulog party at Cebu City. The death of a 19-year-old woman
is being investigated by the authorities due to alleged drug overdose.

Ashley Abad was said to have taken the party drug, ecstasy, during the party ,however the
uncle of the victim, said that someone has placed the drug in her drink or was forced to take it. It
was said that the victim has collapsed during the concert of the event and was attended by the
medical personnel.

The police said that the companion of Ashley during the event will be the persons of interest
on her death. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will also look conduct their own
investigation of the incident.

II. Judge
https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2002/ra_9165_2002.html

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 June 7, 2002

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002, REPEALING

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.

⌲Basically focuses more on the harmful effects of drugs to people and enforcing policies

°°°
http://pdea.gov.ph/laws-and-regulations/ra-10640
[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10640]

AN ACT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN OF THE GOVERNMENT,

SEC. 21. Custody and Disposition of Confiscated, Seized, and/or Surrendered Dangerous Drugs, Plant
Sources of Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals, Instruments/Paraphernalia
and/or Laboratory Equipment. – The PDEA shall take charge and have custody of all dangerous drugs,
plant sources of dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, as well as
instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment so confiscated, seized and/or surrendered, for
proper disposition in the following manner:

“(1) The apprehending team having initial custody and control of the dangerous drugs, controlled
precursors and essential chemicals, instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment shall,
immediately after seizure and confiscation, conduct a physical inventory of the seized items and
photograph the same in the presence of the accused or the person/s from whom such items were
confiscated and/or seized, or his/her representative or counsel, with an elected public official and a
representative of the National Prosecution Service or the media who shall be required to sign the copies of
the inventory and be given a copy thereof: Provided, That the physical inventory and photograph shall be
conducted at the place where the search warrant is served; or at the nearest police station or at the nearest
office of the apprehending officer/team, whichever is practicable, in case of warrantless seizures:
Provided, finally, That noncompliance of these requirements under justifiable grounds, as long as the
integrity and the evidentiary value of the seized items are properly preserved by the apprehending
officer/team, shall not render void and invalid such seizures and custody over said items.

“x x x

“(3) A certification of the forensic laboratory examination results, which shall be done by the forensic
laboratory examiner, shall be issued immediately upon the receipt of the subject item/s: Provided, That
when the volume of dangerous drugs, plant sources of dangerous drugs, and controlled precursors and
essential chemicals does not allow the completion of testing within the time frame, a partial laboratory
examination report shall be provisionally issued stating therein the quantities of dangerous drugs still to
be examined by the forensic laboratory: Provided, however, That a final certification shall be issued
immediately upon completion of the said examination and certification;

⌲ Focuses more on how to prevent it through the means of programs and certain actions that will be
taken to apprehend drug trafficking

°°°°°
https://www.doh.gov.ph/press-release-/mental-health-act-IRR

[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11036]

-- “The law aims to establish a national mental health policy directed towards improving the health of the
population in schools, workplaces and communities, underscoring the basic right of all Filipinos to mental
health. It also highlights the balanced delivery of mental health services (community-based and hospital-
based) with more focus on persons with psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health needs, and
overcoming society’s attitudinal challenges that they may live free from stigma and discrimination.”

>Focuses on improving the mental health of everyone and making all mental health services available!

CHURCH/ DIVINE LAW

5th Commandment
“You shall not kill.”
-The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly
therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous
practices. They constitute direct cooperation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely
contrary to the moral law.”

>This commandment shows that when a person takes illicit drugs or alcohol, it could affect their own
health and life. This is morally wrong for we are not encouraged to harm our own health because in this
commandment, we are obliged to respect human life and health.

°°°°°
https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/where-the-church-draws-the-line-on-
drugs

Church, Drugs, and Drug Addiction

-”To use drugs, notes the Pope, is always illicit because it involves an unjustified and irrational abdication
of our capabilities to think, choose and act as persons. It's also false to speak of any "right" to drugs,
because we never have any right to abdicate the personal dignity that God has given us."

>The document states that using drugs negatively affects our build relationships with God and others and
the abuse of dignity and rights that God has given to us. Also, the document emphasizes on strengthening
drug laws for the protection and safety of the society.

III. Act
The causes for substance abuse are usually problems with mental health, family, friends, pressure,
terrible relationships with other people. In order to act out on this, we must be more aware on the different
mental issues, because we don’t know if these issues are being experienced right now by our family
members and loved ones. We should also consult our psychiatrists/ psychologists, or even our own
family, relatives, and friends. Opening up to someone may help us cope with the problems we are
experiencing right now. Thus, we will be able to avoid the causes of substance abuse.
 Own Program: Substance Abuse Awareness! : This program gives people information about
substances that can harm or abuse your body. (Such as Nicotine, Alcohol, etc.) This program can also
share information regarding the causes and effects of Substance Abuse, how these substances work
depending on the amount of intake and how to avoid them. Also, this program also discusses what are the
different reasons why people, most especially the youth today, take illegal drugs. Another solution can be
rehabilitation. This is where the patient is assisted to compensate for shortage that cannot be reversed
medically. The process of recovery from injury, illness, or disease to as normal a condition as possible is
also facilitated there. To drug abuse victims, rehabilitation is helpful because individualized treatment
plans are included to help patients identify and overcome the underlying issues that started their addiction
and those attending addiction treatment will also learn the necessary tools for building a productive,
healthy, and happy life.

'Listen First' Drug Abuse Campaign

Developed by UNODC and WHO, this campaign aims to increase support for science-based drug abuse
prevention. Using the slogan “Listen First,” the campaign also wants to raise awareness of the importance
of listening to children and youth as the first step to help them grow healthy and safe.

The campaign focuses on parents, teachers, policy-makers, health workers, prevention practitioners, and
other target groups and sectors.

“Guided by this campaign and the International Standards on Drug Use Prevention, the Philippines
reaffirms its commitment to continue to formulate educational programs and services suited to the various
developmental stages, settings and specific needs of the members of our communities.”
(https://www.ddb.gov.ph/newsroom/353-unodc-s-listen-first-drug-prevention-campaign-officially-
launched-in-the-philippines)

Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers

The Pontifical Council explains and defends the teachings of the Church on health issues. The Council
also follows and studies programs and initiatives of health care policy at both international and national
levels, with the goal of extracting its relevance and implications for the pastoral care of the Church.

Art. 153

§ 1. It is up to the Pontifical Council to make known the Church’s doctrine on the spiritual and moral
aspects of illness and the meaning of human pain.
(http://www.fiamc.org/texts/pastor-bonus/)

>It focuses on the protection of one's health by the church teachings.