WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

Alcohol is a drug.

It is classed as a depressant, meaning that it slows down vital functions—resulting in slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions and an inability to react quickly.

As for how it affects the mind, it is best understood as a drug that reduces a person’s ability to think rationally and distorts his or her judgment.

Although classified as a depressant, the amount of alcohol consumed determines the type of effect. Most people drink for the stimulant effect, such as a beer or glass of wine taken to “loosen up.” But if a person consumes more than the body can handle, they then experience alcohol’s depressant effect. They start to feel “stupid” or lose coordination and control.

Alcohol overdose causes even more severe depressant effects (inability to feel pain, toxicity where the body vomits the poison, and finally unconsciousness or, worse, coma or death from severe toxic overdose). These reactions depend on how much is consumed and how quickly.

There are different kinds of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), the only alcohol used in beverages, is produced by the fermentation of grains and fruits. Fermenting is a chemical process whereby yeast acts upon certain ingredients in the food, creating alcohol.

ALCOHOL CONTENT

Fermented drinks, such as beer and wine, contain from 2% alcohol to 20% alcohol. Distilled drinks, or liquor, contain from 40% to 50% or more alcohol. The usual alcohol content for each is:

Beer 2–6% alcohol
Cider 4–8% alcohol
Wine 8–20% alcohol
Tequila 40% alcohol
Rum 40% or more alcohol
Brandy 40% or more alcohol
Gin 40–47% alcohol
Whiskey 40–50% alcohol
Vodka 40–50% alcohol
Liqueurs 15–60% alcohol

Alcohol's Effects on the Body

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health.  Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:

Brain:
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.  

Heart:
Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

·         Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle

·         Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat

·         Stroke

·         High blood pressure  

Research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease.

Liver:
Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

·         Steatosis, or fatty liver

·         Alcoholic hepatitis

·         Fibrosis

·         Cirrhosis

Pancreas:
Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. 

Cancer:
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

·         Mouth

·         Esophagus

·         Throat

·         Liver

·         Breast

Immune System:
Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.  Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much.  Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.

               

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines remains a serious national concern. Two of the most used and valuable illegal drugs in the country are methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and marijuana.^[1][2] Ephedrine and methylenedioxy methamphetamine are also among the list of illegal drugs that are of great concern to the authorities.^[3]According to Reuters, the President-elect of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has predicted the country could become a 'narco-state' if the country's tide of drug addiction is not pushed back. In 2012, the United Nations said the Philippines had the highest rate of methamphetamine use in East Asia, and according to a U.S. State Department report, 2.1 percent of Filipinos aged 16 to 64 use the drug, which is known locally as "shabu".^[4] On Metro Manila, most barangays are being affected by illegal drugs.^[1] According to the 2011 UN Drug Report, the Philippines has the highest methamphetamine hydrochloride abuse rate.^[5]

Marijuana[edit]

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency identified that the mountainous parts of Northern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao are viable for marijuana cultivation. Marijuana produced in the country is distributed locally and is also exported to other countries. Local distribution of marijuana increased in 2012 despite destruction of illegal marijuana plantations.^[3]

Methamphetamine production[edit]

Drug syndicates have been producing methamphetamine in small-scale and kitchen-type laboratories to avoid detection by the Philippine authorities since 2010. Usually, drug syndicates rent warehouses for use as drug laboratories. These syndicates have moved towards renting houses in private subdivisions, condominiums and apartments to be used as bases for their illegal drug production. Private properties are becoming more favorable to drug syndicates as sites of illegal drug production.^[3]

Methamphetamine remains more feasible to sell in the Philippines than cocaine, a more costly illegal drug.^[6]

Transnational drug trade[edit]

Owing to its geographical location, international drug syndicates use the Philippines as a transit hub for the illegal drug trade.^[1][7] Some local drug syndicates are also involved in the international illegal drug trade, and utilize drug mules to transport small amounts of illegal drugs to other countries. Some overseas Filipino workers have been utilized by drug syndicates as drug mules, either knowingly or unknowingly. Most Filipino drug mules, mainly women, are sent to China, where drug convicts will face execution via lethal injection.^[8]The Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been identified as a favorable illegal drug trafficking hub.^[3]

Some Filipinos choose to be involved in drug trafficking due to the promise of a high income. Some still participate in such illicit activity because they are forced by certain circumstances. There were reports in the past that some Filipinos, usually women, were forced and blackmailed by drug syndicates to work as drug couriers, and if they refused, their family's safety would be compromised.^[9]

The Manila-based firm, Pacific Strategies & Assessments, identified the Philippines as, "not only a transhipment point, but also a key producer of synthetic drugs for all of Asia" in a report made in 2009.^[10]

In December 2013, the Philippine National Police - Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and the Philippine Drug Enforcement confirmed reports that the MexicanSinaloa Cartel had started operations in the country.^[9][11]

Chinese cartel involvement[edit]

About nine Chinese drug cartels are involved on most illegal drug trade in the Philippines.^[12] The U.S. Department of State found out that Chinese drug cartels are behind the trade of methamphetamine hydrochloride on the Philippines.^[1][5]

President divulged the names of the members of a large Chinese triad group in a interview with PTV-4 on July 7. The members of the triad group included Chinese drug lords, namely Wu Tuan, aka tatay Co, Peter Lim ,aka tiger balm, and Herbert Colangco, with the three under the protection of Marcelo Garbo Jr, one of the Philippine National Police generals named by Duterte on July 5.^[13]

Trade value[edit]

As of 2013, the illegal drug trade in the Philippines amounted to $8.4 billion.^[6]

Party drugs[edit]

MDMA (ecstasy), one of the party drugs, is the third most abused drug, next to cannabis and methamphetamine.^[14]

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency discovered the production of "fly high", after a raid on a condominium unit in Makati.^[15] The effects of use of fly high includessleeplessness, loss of appetite, and high libido.^[16]

Drug use among minors[edit]

Inhalants are commonly used among minors, especially street children.^[14] Street children in the Philippines are most likely to be inhalant abusers.^[17]

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency statistics of 2014 recorded 40% of minors arrested for drug possession,^[18] and drug syndicates use children as drug pushers.^[19] Children arrested for drug possession or use are brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in compliance to Republic Act No. 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006).^[19]

Campaign against illegal drugs[edit]

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Main article: Philippine Drug War

Rodrigo Duterte, after his inauguration on June 30, called a speech full of swearing in Tondo, Manila and urged people to kill drug pushers in exchange for bounty.^[20]

Arrests[edit]

Most arrests related to illegal drugs involves users of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).^[1][21]

Involvement of government officials and employees[edit]

About 45% of government employees are mainly arrested for drug possession, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Several government officials have been arrested for drug possession, like former PDEA Special Enforcement Service director and Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino but released months later after some clarification in the ongoing investigation.^[22]

There are also alleged involvement of Philippine National Police generals on drug trade. On July 5, 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte named 5 generals alleged to be involved in drugs, namely Marcelo Garbo Jr., Joel Pagdilao, Edgardo Tinio, Bernardo Diaz, and Vic Loot. All of the five claim they did not have any involvement in illegal drugs.^[23]

In his I am sorry for my country speech, President Duterte revealed the names of 150 government officials that have been found to be involved in illegal drug trade. There have also been allegations of government officials' involvement in illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.

Deaths[edit]

About 1000 drug pushers and users have been killed in police operations and around 1000 killed in drug related incidents since Rodrigo Duterte was inaugurated in June 30, 2016.^[24]

Criticism[edit]

Ifugao congressman Teodoro Baguilat and senator Leila de Lima called for an investigation on the cases of killings of drug pushers by police, due to the alarming rise of deaths of drug pushers in police opearations. Baguilat expressed concerns on the rising number of deaths of drug pushers and users that if the rate of deaths of drug pushers and users continue to increase, people will soon be involved in killing suspected drug personalities.^[25]

Support[edit]

The New People's Army supports Duterte's war against drugs, especially on government officials, police, and the military.^[26]

See also[edit]

·         Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002

·         Close-Up Forever Summer concert tragedy

General:

·         Crime in the Philippines