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video about Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign by  INTI International University & Colleges from youtube.com

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Effects of Illegal Drugs to People

Photos from Google Images

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Drugs and their classification

Depressants are drugs that slow down the central nervous system and the messages that go between the brain and the body. These drugs decrease people’s concentration and slow down their ability to respond. The name ‘depressant’ suggests that these drugs can make a person feel depressed, but this is not always the case. The term depressant purely refers to the effect of slowing down the central nervous system. Some examples of depressants include: alcohol, opioids (e.g., heroin), barbiturates, GHB.

Stimulants (also referred to as psychostimulants) are drugs that stimulate the central nervous system and speed up the messages going between the brain and the body. These drugs typically increase energy, heart rate and appetite. Some examples of psychostimulants include: methamphetamine (speed, ice, base), cocaine, dexamphetamine, caffeine, nicotine, MDMA/ecstasy.

Hallucinogens are drugs which typically alter how a person perceives the world. These drugs can change the way a person sees, hears, tastes, smells or feels different things, including experiencing things that aren't there at all. Some examples of hallucinogens include: ketamine, magic mushrooms, LSD.

SOURCE: https://positivechoices.org.au/students/what-are-illegal-drugs

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What are illegal drugs?

A drug is a substance that affects the way the body functions. If a drug is classified as ‘illegal’, this means that it is forbidden by law. Different illegal drugs have different effects on people and these effects are influenced by many factors. This makes them unpredictable and dangerous, especially for young people.

The effects of a drug are influenced by:

1. The type of drug 2. How much is consumed 3. Where the person is when the drug is being used 4. What the person is doing while using the drugs 5. Individual characteristics such as body size and health vulnerabilities 6. How many different drugs are taken at one time (See Polydrug use: Factsheet)

Types of illegal drugs

1. Cannabis (Marijuana) 2. Cocaine 3. MDMA/Ecstasy 4. GHB 5. Hallucinogens 6. Heroin 7. Inhalants 8. Ketamine 9. Methamphetamine

SOURCE: https://positivechoices.org.au/students/what-are-illegal-drugs

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Illegal Drug Users in the Philippines

According to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) (the government agency mandated to formulate policies on illegal drugs in the Philippines), there are 1.8 million current drug users in the Philippines, and 4.8 million Filipinos report having used illegal drugs at least once in their lives. More than three-quarters of drug users are adults (91%), males (87%), and have reached high school (80%). More than two-thirds (67%) are employed. The most commonly used drug in the Philippines is a variant of methamphetamine called shabu or “poor man’s cocaine.” According to a 2012 United Nations report, the Philippines had the highest rate of methamphetamine abuse among countries in East Asia; about 2.2% of Filipinos between the ages 16–64 years were methamphetamines users.

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The Manila Declaration on the Drug Problem in the Philippines

When Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office in 2016, his government launched an unprecedented campaign against illegal drugs. The drug problem in the Philippines has primarily been viewed as an issue of law enforcement and criminality, and the government has focused on implementing a policy of criminalization and punishment. The escalation of human rights violations has caught the attention of groups in the Philippines as well as the international community. The Global Health Program of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a non-profit network of 50 universities in the Pacific Rim, held its 2017 annual conference in Manila. A special half-day workshop was held on illicit drug abuse in the Philippines which convened 167 participants from 10 economies and 21 disciplines. The goal of the workshop was to collaboratively develop a policy statement describing the best way to address the drug problem in the Philippines, taking into consideration a public health and human rights approach to the issue. The policy statement is presented here.

SOURCE: Simbulan, N., Estacio, L., Dioquino-Maligaso, C., Herbosa, T. and Withers, M., 2019. The Manila Declaration on the Drug Problem in the Philippines. Annals of Global Health, 85(1), p.26. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.28

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Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.

H. Auden

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The Potential of Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) seeds and Cupped Oyster (Carrostrea iredalei) Shells as Coagulants in Improving the Quality of Sediment Water

Safe drinking water is essential to humans and other life forms for it helps them perform essential processes. The use of conventional water treatment plants in order to purify water is not really the best option either since it is costly. This leads to the presentation of alternatives that are much convenient and readily available to the public. Conventional water treatment involves three key processes, namely coagulation, flocculation and filtration. These processes help improve the quality of water in terms of certain parameters like turbidity, the cloudiness of a fluid due to the presence of different particles. The researchers used coagulation which refers to the process of adding a compound to water, specifically wastewater, in order to promote the clumping of the different unwanted particles present in it, causing it to settle at the bottom so that it can be separated from the water. Malunggay seeds, Oyster shells, and the mixture of the two were used as coagulants to improve the quality of the water samples.