Pubdate: Tue, 15 Jun 2004
Source: Sun.Star Baguio (Philippines)
Copyright: 2004, Sunstar
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/affiliate.php3?locid=2
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1942
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ADVENTURISM, FAMILY PROBLEMS LURE BAGUIO TEENS TO DRUGS

Adventurism, peer pressures and family problems are among the three main 
reasons identified by the Baguio City Police Office-Drug Enforcement Unit 
(BCPO-DEU) as to why Baguio teenagers are being lured to using illegal drugs.

Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez highlighted the three main reasons of drug abuse 
among teenagers during the first anniversary celebration of the 
Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (Aidsotf) at Malcolm 
Square on Monday. But both the BCPO-DEA and the regional Philippine Drug 
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) have no available estimate on the number of 
Baguio teenagers using illegal drugs, although law enforcers believed many 
of them are out-of-school youth. In Baguio, the bulk of the 150,000 student 
population are below 18 years old, officials said.

The BCPO-DEU and the City Anti-Drug Council (CADC) determined that 
adventurism, peer pressure and family problems are among the three main 
reasons for illegal drug usage among teenagers during interviews with 
teenagers arrested for using illegal drugs.

At present, at least 13 Baguio teenagers are undergoing out-patient 
rehabilitation and their respective parents showed concern for their 
immediate therapy, Nerez said.

He added that the sincere cooperation being showed by the parents of 
drug-dependent teenagers is a manifestation that the public trusts law 
enforcement agencies in their all-out campaign against illegal drugs.

"The fact that parents are coordinating with the police for the 
rehabilitation of their drug-dependent children is a clear manifestation 
that we are winning the people to our side in the fight against illegal 
drugs," Nerez said.

Interior Sec. Jose Lina earlier reported that illegal drugs have become a 
P216-billion to P432-billion annual industry in the Philippines.

He said there are at least 1.8 million regular drug users in the country 
who consume an average of five to 10 grams of shabu monthly. A gram of 
shabu costs about P2,000. HFP
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager