BY CHITO CHAVEZ
An estimated 1.67 million or two out of one hundred Filipinos aged 10 to 69 are current illegal drugs users, according to the 2019 National Household Survey on the Patterns and Trends of Drug Abuse released by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
The 2019 Drug Survey showed that the current user prevalence rate of 2.05 percent is significantly lower than the 2018 global estimates of 5.3 percent based on the data from the World Drug Report 2020, the DDB noted.
“Noting the results of the 2019 Drug Survey and comparing it to the estimates of 4 Million Filipino drug users in 2016 based on anti-drug operations and intelligence data, it shows a clear significant decline which can be attributed to the success of the government’s anti-drug campaign and steadfast priority given by the government to create drug-free communities under the current administration,’’ the DDB said.
Based on the 5.8 percent lifetime user prevalence rate, DDB noted that about 4.73 million or six out of every 100 Filipinos aged 10-69 tried drugs at least once in their lives.
The DDB stressed that these results indicated high public awareness and approval of the government’s anti-drug campaign.
“It showed that the directions and programs that the government has undertaken under the current administration have been proven effective as evidenced by the public’s acceptance of the government’s anti-drug campaign and the drop in the user prevalence rate,’’ it added.
Based on the survey, the DDB said it can be concluded that the government not only succeeded in flattening the user prevalence rate but has also reversed the trend.
The DDB report also noted that cannabis commonly known as marijuana (57 percent) remains the most commonly abused dangerous drug followed by methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu (35 percent). (Chito Chavez)
