MODULE II

DRUG EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

Effective drug education is important because young people are faced with
many influences to use both licit and illicit drugs. Education can play a
counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation, and
informed decision making.

OBJECTIVES

After studying the module, you should be able to:

1. Discover the nature and effects of drugs of abuse and substances.

2. Appreciate and synthesize information on the effect/impacts of drugs to
his/her family, friends and community.
3. Support, commit and remain a drug free environment.

DIRECTIONS/ MODULE ORGANIZER

There are four lessons in the module. Read each lesson carefully then answer
the exercises/activities to find out how much you have benefited from it. Work on
these exercises carefully and submit your output to your trainer or to the NSTP office.

In case you encounter difficulty, discuss this with your trainer during the face-
to-face meeting. If not contact your trainer through SMS or other mode of
communication.

Good luck and happy reading!!!

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Lesson 1

 Historical and Legal Bases of NSTP General orientation

on RA 9165, nature of drugs menace, national drug
situation, controlled substances, and other
pertinent laws

Overview

This module discusses historical and legal bases of the National Training Service
Program (NSTP). The Republic Act 9163 along with principles and laws will also be
discussed. It is expected that you will realize the significance of NSTP Act 2001
mandates all citizens, both male and female, to fulfill this civic duty.

The nature of drugs

If we are to understand why and how people use drugs, we need to look at three key
factors. These are:

 Your personality
 The type of drug you take, and
 The context of your drug use

These factors are connected and can’t be separated. They influence your reasons for
using a drug and the effects it will have on you. We need to understand that there are
different levels of drug use with different types of problems.

You can move between the different levels, for example if you start using more
heavily, but you can also stop taking drugs and then start the cycle again. While you
may think that drug use will always lead to drug abuse, this is not always the case.
Drug use is not the same as drug abuse.

Stages of Drug Use

Experimental use

Most young people try drugs for the first time as an experiment, usually because their
friends are doing it. It tends not to last long and will not happen often. It depends on
many factors such as: how easy it is to get drugs, where it’s happening, your group of
friends, and current trends or fashion. You may go on to recreational drug use or you
may stop once you have satisfied your curiosity. The main risk of this type of drug use
is that young people may not know about the effects of the drugs they try.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Recreational drug use

Some people continue to use drugs in order to have fun. This is usually a regular
thing, such as every weekend, and is part of your social life. You may feel that you
have control over your use of drugs. Even if you use a lot, you may not be addicted to
the drug. This type of drug use only applies to certain drugs and contexts, for
example ecstasy and dance culture. Most people who take recreational drugs see it as
a ‘normal’ activity in their social circle.

Dependent drug use

If you use drugs for a long time or use them heavily, you may no longer be able to
control your use. This is called dependence or addiction and may be physical or
psychological. Physical dependence means that your body craves the drug.
Psychological dependence is when you feel that you can’t cope without it. This level
of drug use usually happens on your own or in a small group. As well as making you
sick, it often causes emotional, psychological and social problems.

Abstainers

An abstainer is someone who does not take any drugs or someone who has been off
drugs for a long time and does not want to use them again.

Facts About Drug Abuse

Despite the seemingly tamed and glamorized idea of drug use, it must be remembered
that it can still lead to abuse, addiction, legal offenses, serious health problems, and
even death.

We must understand that there is no way to predict the effect that a drug can have
on a person, especially if it is the first time, they try it, and even regardless of dose
and amount. Given that each person’s brain and body chemistry are different, each
person would also have a different tolerance for drugs.

Drugs

Drugs are chemicals that affect a person in such a way as to bring about physiological,
emotional, or behavioral change.

‘Dangerous drugs’ are those that have high tendency for abuse and dependency, these
substances may be organic or synthetic, and pose harm to those who use them.

Drug Abuse

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Drug abuse exists when a person continually uses a drug other than its intended
purpose. This continued use can lead to drug dependence, a state of physical and
psychological dependence or both on a dangerous drug.

Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a complex, and often chronic, brain disease. It is characterized by

excessive drug craving, seeking, and use. Addiction is caused by brain changes caused
by constant drug use.

Dependency

This is the state of physical and psychological dependence, or both, on a dangerous

drug, or drugs, experienced by a person following the use of that substance on a
periodic or continuous basis. A person dependent on drugs will experience withdrawal
reactions (also known as “cold turkey”, symptoms that occur after long-term use of a
drug is reduced or stopped abruptly) after abstaining from drugs.

Drug Abuse: By the Numbers

Estimated Drug Users in the Philippines: 1.3 Million

Profile of Drug Users

Mean Age:  20-29 years old

Ratio of Male is to Female Users: 10:1
Civil Status: Married
Employment Status: Employed
Educational Attainment: High School Level

Nature of Drug Use: Poly drug use

Commonly Abused Substances:

(1) Methamphetamine Hydrochloride (Shabu)

(2) Cannabis (Marijuana)
(3) Inhalants (Contact Cement)

* Figure estimates from the 2012 Household Survey on the Nature and Extent of Drug
Abuse in the Philippines conducted by the DDB with the Philippine Normal University.

Most commonly abused drugs in and their Effects

Methamphetamine Hydrochloride (Shabu)

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Methamphetamine hydrochloride is found to have harmful effects to the brain. It
changes how the brain functions. Studies have shown that methamphetamine abusers
have reduced motor skills and impaired verbal learning as a result of alterations in the
activity of the dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation,
experience of pleasure and motor function.

Street names: shabs, ice, meth, crystal, kristal, basura, tawas

Other adverse effects of methamphetamine:

 Extreme weight loss

 Severe dental problems (“meth mouth”)
 Anxiety
 Confusion
 Insomnia
 Mood disturbances
 Violent behavior


Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana)

Marijuana use impairs a person's ability to form new memories

and to shift focus. Its active component, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) also disrupts
coordination and balance, posture, and reaction time (experience commonly referred
to as “spacing out”). Thus, chronic marijuana use significantly reduces a person’s
capacity to learn, carry-out complicated tasks, participate in sports, driving and
operating other machineries. Studies also show that marijuana use can lead to lung
cancer and other problems in the respiratory and immune systems.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Street names: weed, jutes, pot, grass, damo, chongke

Health problems that come with the use of marijuana include:

 Problems with memory and learning

 Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
 Trouble with thinking and problem solving
 Loss of motor coordination
 Increased heart rate and palpitations

Inhalants

The effects of inhalants are similar to that of alcohol, including

slurred speech, lack of coordination, euphoria and dizziness. Inhalant abusers may
also experience lightheadedness, hallucinations, and delusions.

Harmful irreversible effects of inhalants include:

 Hearing loss
 Limb spasms
 Central nervous system or brain damage
 Bone marrow damage

Signs of Drug Abuse

The following are common signs of drug revealed by individual

using drugs. While not all of these signs mean that one person is involved in drugs and
there could be some other physical or emotional problem that is causing these
behaviors, there is high chance that drug use may be a possibility:

 declining interest in school or work

 suddenly changes friends (hangs out with individuals known for their drug use)

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

 becomes pessimistic, irritable and anxious all the time
 asks to be left alone a lot
 is always tired (or makes it as an excuse to be left alone)
 becomes careless and often becomes involved in accidents
 becomes implicated in a lot of fights
 frequent mood swings
 sudden change in appearance and conduct (red or puffy eyes, weight changes,
constant complaints of headaches or stomachaches, shaking, incessant cough,
brown stains on fingertips, stumbling, or a constant runny nose)
 loss of interest in hobbies or sports
 exhibits poor judgment
 finds it difficult to concentrate

Helping Victims of Drug Abuse

If you suspect that a friend is using drugs, talk to

him or her. Let your friend know that you care. Talk to your parents, teacher, school
counselor, or another trusted adult. Offer to go with your friend to his parents or a
counselor for help.

You alone can't make your friend stop doing drugs. It takes professional help.
Counseling,  treatment and rehabilitation are among the interventions that can help
someone struggling with the compulsion to use drugs. You may contact us via this
website and our social networking accounts or over the phone (+63-8929-1753) for
other queries and means of helping a person recover from drug dependency.

Words to Know

Addiction - A person has an addiction when he becomes dependent on or craves a

drug and believes he needs the drug to live. All an addicted drug user can think about
is getting the next dose after getting high.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Depressant - A depressant is a drug that slows a person down. Doctors prescribed
depressants to help people be less angry, anxious, or tense. Depressants relax muscles
and make people feel sleepy or like their head are stuffed.

Hallucinogen - A hallucinogen is a drug, such as LSD, that changes a person's mood

and makes him see, hear, or think things that aren't really there. Hallucinogens
change the way a person feels time, making it seem to slow down. As the name
implies, hallucinogens may cause hallucinations - this is when people think they see or
hear imaginary people or things.

High - A high is the feeling that drug users want to get when they take drugs. There
are many types of high, including a spacey feeling, euphoria, or a feeling that a
person has “special powers”, such as the ability to fly or see into the future.

Stimulant - A stimulant speeds up a person's body and brain. Stimulants, such as

methamphetamines, have the opposite effect of depressants. Usually stimulants make
a person high energetic. When the effects of a stimulant wear off, a person will feel
tired or sick.

AMENDMENT TO THE GUIDELINES ON THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

(IRR) OF SECTION 21 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 AS AMENDED BY RA 10640
Pursuant to Section 4 of the Guidelines on the Implementing Rules and Regulation
(IRR) of Section 21 of Republic Act No. 9165 as amended by RA 10640, the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency in consultation with the Department of Justice and other
relevant sectors hereby agreed to amend item “A.1.3 Section 1” of the
aforementioned guidelines by adding the phrase “PHYSICAL INVENTORY AND
PHOTOGRAPH” and by deleting the second sentence therefrom, so that item A.1.3
Section 1 thereof shall now read as follows:
Item A. 1.3. “In warrantless seizures, the marking, physical inventory and photograph
of the seized items in the presence of the violator shall be done immediately at the
place where the drugs were seized or at the nearest police station or nearest office of
the apprehending officer/team, whichever is practicable.
The issuance shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in one (1)
newspaper of general circulation and after its registration with the Office of the
National Administrative Register (ONAR), UP Law Center, Quezon City.
Done in PDEA, Quezon City this 3rd day of August 2016.
Originally Signed ISIDRO S. LAPEÑA PhD, CSEE Director General, PDEA
Note: Published on August 23, 2016 in The Philippine Star, and registered with ONAR,
UP Law Center on August 31, 2016.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Lesson 2

 Role of the Youth on Drug detection and

prevention

Overview

The Importance of Teen Substance Abuse Prevention

Teen substance abuse is problematic for several reasons. Teens are still developing
important life skills, their identity, likes, and dislikes. If teens begin experimenting
with drugs to fit in or gain friends, they can unknowingly set themselves up for a
potentially life-threatening habit, making prevention critical. In 2018, 27.1% of 8 th to
12th graders used an illicit drug; in the same year, 29.3% used illicit drugs and suffered
a depressive episode. 18.7% of 8th to 12th graders drank alcohol in the last month of
2018, with 12% binge drinking.

Providing a firm foundation and clear ideas on the damage addiction can cause is
critical to teenage substance abuse prevention efforts.  The goal of prevention is to
attempt to stop someone from partaking in a harmful action that has substantial
consequences before those consequences occur. In the case of teenage substance
abuse, this can range from stopping them from taking drinks of alcohol, to more
dangerous drugs like cocaine or fentanyl.

Harmful Consequences of Teenage Substance Abuse

Teens abusing harmful substances may decide to do so in order to cope with

distressing mental and emotional conditions. Although some of these conditions may
be temporary, their effects can last a lifetime. Such examples include, but are not
limited to:

 Depression and anxiety

 Broken relationships (family, friends, and romantic relationships)
 Poor or declining health
 Difficulty maintaining self-esteem
 Grief, loss or trauma
 Problems making friends and feeling isolated

In addition to such experiences, teens may also use illicit substances because of peer
pressure or to belong. Unfortunately, such acts of substance abuse can have
devastating effects on individuals and their loved ones. Consequences of teen drug
abuse can include legal trouble, like time in jail, prolonged substance abuse, poly-
drug use, and unwanted pregnancy.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Which Teens Are More at Risk for Addiction?

Although teens from all backgrounds abuse harsh and addictive chemicals, some
teenagers are more at risk for addiction than others. Teens who struggle with
depression or anxiety are more likely to dabble to chemicals for a sense of relief.
Teens who are moving or transitioning between different schools may feel stressed
and isolated. In turn, he or she may turn to a substance to distract themselves from
their emotions.

In cases of adolescent or teen drug abuse, the earlier they begin, the greater
likelihood of them developing and maintaining a substance use disorder later in life.
For example, a teen experimenting with prescription opioids at age 16 can easily
develop a tolerance. A tolerance often leads to a dependency within as little as a few
weeks or months. Once the teen has developed a dependence, he or she may develop
a full-blown substance abuse disorder by the age of 20.

If he or she finds the prescription opioid has lost its luster, he or she may transition to
a stronger, but more fatal substance like heroin. Teens who have chronic pain may
also be at risk. With chronic pain, teens may have to take prescription opioids for
relief, and can become addicted. Other risk factors include teens with a history of
substance abuse, or teens with a family history of drug abuse.

Preventative Measures for Teenage Substance Abuse

Family Influence

Prevention of drug and alcohol abuse can start at home. Parents can talk to their
children and explain the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. Specifically talking
to children while they are young can create a strong foundation for awareness of drug
use. This helps parents positively influence their children, while teaching their
children about boundaries.

In teaching boundaries, parents help children to understand when to deny something

that can hurt them, while controlling the dynamic of an unhealthy request.
Prevention talks also create deeper bonds and guidance between children and
parents. Parents can establish consistency in communication, as well as guidance that
can be followed for years. Preventative conversations can lead the adolescent to
strengthen trust with their parent, and make wise decisions with habits, friends,
interests, and influences.

Educational Tools

There are governmental agencies, community leaders, and school personnel that
attempt to teach children about living a drug-free life. Much of this is to prevent teen
drug abuse before they reach adulthood or go into the real world. As a result of these
educational tools, teen drug abuse has significantly decreased from previous decades.

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

Educating teens on the effects of drug abuse is important as it attempts to control
possible drug use before the age of maturity. There are presently various educational
programs in place for this very reason, including:

 Universal
 Selective
 Indicated

Universal programs function to teach social, personal, and drug resistance techniques
on a weekly basis. Selective programs are interventions for teens who may be more at
risk and have unstable home lives, or other risk factors. Indicated educational
programs are geared to teens showing problematic behavior.

Stop Addiction Before It Gets Worse

Prevention strategies can help stop teens from developing a substance use disorder;
however, treatment is best for teens who already have a problem. Treatment puts
teens in the care of medical professionals with tools for recovery. For instance, teens
may not realize there are underlying conditions that may encourage substance abuse,
known as co-occurring disorders. These would be treated with cutting-edge
medication and therapy. Detox is completed under the hand of a medical professional
to ensure support. Perhaps most importantly, therapies and peer groups encourage a
feeling of health and belonging. Contact a treatment provider to locate facilities
catering to teen-related treatment today.

Learning Activity: Drug Education

Construct a collage to express your feelings about the “Oplan Tokhang”

strategy of the government. Make sure that there are wide variety of images or
pictures more images to choose from, the more successful the collage will be.
Make a substantial description of your collage.

References:

Labuguen, Florida C.; Vidal, Carmelo John E.; Ramos, Alexander I. (2018).
Understanding the National Service Training Program: Mutya Publishing House.

https://www.ddb.gov.ph/newsroom/46-sidebar/58-facts-on-drugs

http://endoflifecare.tripod.com/kidsyoungadults/id36.html

http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/factsheets.shtml

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II

http://vaden.stanford.edu/health_library/drugUse.html

http://dark.pozadia.org/images/wallpapers/2149696743_ecfce8cbc2_b-266251.jpeg

http://pdea.gov.ph/images/Laws/Amendment_to_Section_21_Reference11July2017.p
df

https://www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/E_handbook.pdf

NSTP1- Drug Education Module II