Pubdate: Fri, 01 Apr 2005
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2005
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Christina Mendez
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

BIAZON SEEKS DRUG LAW AMENDMENTS

An administration lawmaker proposed amendments yesterday to Republic
Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, in a bid
to stop the proliferation and use of uncontrolled substances or
medical drugs as "replacement" for illegal drugs shabu and ecstasy.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the Senate committee on national
defense and security, recommended through Senate Bill 1962 that the
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) be allowed to classify certain medical
drugs and add them to the list of controlled precursors and chemicals.

Biazon lamented that the owner of $32 million worth of the anesthetic
ketamine discovered at a laboratory in Malate, Manila could not be
found in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law because
ketamine does not fall in the category of the Dangerous Drugs Board's
list of controlled drugs.

The senator issued the statement after Anti-Illegal Drugs Special
Operations Task Force (AID-SOTF) chief Deputy Director General Ricardo
de Leon called for the inclusion of the party drug ketamine
hydrochloride in the DDB list of controlled drugs so its manufacture
and possession would result in stiffer penalties.

Individuals engaged in the distribution, manufacture and unauthorized
sale of the so-called "love drug" should also be penalized, Biazon
said.

"Because of the absence of stiff penalties, drug syndicates are now
producing ketamine in the Philippines in huge quantities and exporting
them to Taiwan and other Asian countries. The drug costs US$90 to $95
per gram in Taiwan and up to $100 in the US, more lucrative than
shabu," the senator said.

Ketamine was originally created for use as a human anesthetic, and is
still used as a general anesthetic for veterinary medicine and for
pediatric burn cases. The drug usually comes as a liquid in
pharmaceutical bottles, and is often baked into a white powder for
snorting or made into a tablet or capsule form.

Ketamine, also known as K, Vitamin K or Special K, has started to
replace shabu and ecstasy as the drug of choice among young users at
parties because of its tranquilizing effect.

At lower doses, the drug gives a mild dreamy feeling. Users report
feeling "floaty" and slightly outside their body. Higher dosage may
make users feel a hallucinogenic effect with a feeling of being far
away from their body. 
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