PDEA-7 urges public to be wary about what they ingest in bars, parties

| Photo grabbed from Google

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) urged the public to be careful with whatever they ingest in bars or in public parties. 

“Dapat careful sila sa kung ano ang iniinom nila sa mga bars. Pag may nanotice sila na suspicious activities, ireport nila agad sa police para marespondehan,” said Wardley Getalla, director of PDEA-7.

Rumors have been circulating online that new types of drugs have entered the country, including one called the strawberry meth, which according to Getalia, originates from the United States of America.

He said these are the ones often given to unsuspecting persons. Strawberry meth is metamphetamine mixed into colored juice drinks, often times in strawberry juice, so it can easily be given to victims in a party.

However, Getalla said that strawberry meth has not yet been detected in the Philippines and that PDEA is in close coordination with Bureau of Customs (BOC) for its possible entry in the Philippines.

Getalla also revealed that ecstasy is no longer often distributed in its pure form. It has already been subjected to various experimentation and concoctions by drug dealers to offer different kinds of experiences to users.

“Iba-iba yan kasi. May iba diyan na minimix nila para may different effect. May mga ecstasy na nakakaincrease ng sexual activity, depende sa ginamit na metamphetamine,” he said. 

Getalla said that non-users who suddenly take in the drug unknowingly have higher risks of death by overdose since their bodies have never been subjected to drugs, let alone a mixture of drugs.

“Mas maraming mixture yung drug, mas nakakamatay,” he said.

Getalla said that the indicators of a person subjected to drug overdose are often increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. Most people who die from overdose die of cardiac arrest. 

“Dapat talaga mag-ingat sila kapag pumupunta sila sa mga bars kasi hindi talaga natin alam kung kailan tayo magiging biktima. Iwasan nalang natin tumanggap ng kahit anong inumin o pagkain sa mga di natin kilala o kaya sa mga taong alam natin na gugmagit ng droga,” said Getalla. /bjo