Pubdate: Mon, 27 Mar 2006
Source: Manila Standard (Philippines)
Copyright: 2006 Manila Standard
Contact:  http://www.manilastandardonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3450
Author: Ferdinand Fabella
Cited: UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/cnd.html/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs)

UN ADOPTS RP PROPOSAL CURBING USE OF KETAMINE

Putting itself in the international limelight again, the Philippines
has spearheaded a global effort to regulate the use of ketamine, an
anesthetic substance that is fast becoming the favorite of drug addicts.

The United Nations' Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna has
adopted a resolution filed by the Philippines and Thailand, urging the
UN members to take steps to prevent the trafficking and use of ketamine.

With the CND's approval, 20 other countries, including Japan, Malaysia
and the United States, expressed their full support for the effort,
Philippine Ambassador to Vienna Linglingay Lacanlale said.

The Philippine Embassy in Vienna also serves as the Philippine Mission
to the CND, the drug policy-making body within the UN system. It
consists of 53 states serving in four-year terms that meet annually.

Under the Philippine-Thailand resolution, the international community
is encouraged to develop a system of import-export certificates to
guard against diversion and trafficking of ketamine.

Lacanlale said the CND-approved resolution also urged governments to
share information on ketamine abuse and trafficking.

The widespread abuse of ketamine in Asia and the Americas has already
caught the attention of the International Narcotics Control Board and
the World Health Organization.

Ketamine is a general dissociative anesthetic for human and veterinary
use. Its excessive use results in severe hallucinations, which make it
popular in raves and parties.

First synthesized in 1962, the drug was used on wounded American
soldiers during the Vietnam War, but is often avoided now because it
can cause unpleasant experiences. It is still used widely in
veterinary medicine, and for select human applications.

The increase in illicit use prompted ketamine's placement in Schedule
III of the United States' Controlled Substance Act in August 1999. In
the United Kingdom, it became outlawed and labeled a Class C drug on
Jan. 1.

Lacanlale said the Philippine Mission informed the CND that the
country was among the first to recognize the dangers posed by the substance.

On July 19, 2005, the Dangerous Drugs Board issued Board Resolution 3
mandating the inclusion of ketamine in the Philippines' list of
dangerous drugs and subjecting it to all regulatory and control
measures provided under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002). 
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MAP posted-by: Tom