PDEA insists on mandatory drug tests for students, teachers

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) insisted on the urgency of enforcing the mandatory drug testing for students and teachers in all public and private schools in the country saying that some of them are now involved in the illegal drug trade.

From July 1, 2016 to June 15, 2018, PDEA operatives have arrested 21 el- ementary and high school teachers for drug-related offenses nationwide which also led to the confiscation of 1,208.67 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, worth R8,300,651.70.

The agency also noted that minors have been used by drug lords in illegal drug activities for years now.

From 2011 to June 15, 2018, there are already 2,111 minors rescued for violating the anti-drug law, 1,155 of which were rescued at the onset of the drug war.

Out of the rescued minors, 277 are users, 959 are pushers, and 725 are possessors, while the rest are either visitors, employees and maintainers of a drug den, cultivators, traffickers, runners, and cohorts.

The purposes behind PDEA’s call to conduct mandatory drug testing in schools are to determine the extent of drug users among students, or those having drug problems, teachers, and even school personnel; and to deter drug use, both for the purpose of reformation and rehabilitation. The move is also expected to deter peer pressure or peer influence that leads to the initiation of drug use.

PDEA Director General Aaron N. Aquino said that the agency is proposing the expansion of the authorized mandatory drug testing done in schools to include elementary pupils, starting from Grade 4.

“Since the start of the government’s war on drugs, PDEA has rescued four kids, aged 10 and 11 years old who became users and sellers of illegal drugs. The recorded youngest pusher arrested is six years old. This goes to show that drug offenders are increasingly getting younger,” Aquino said.

“Studies revealed that curiosity, boredom, and peer pressure are among the predominant influences in the initial drug use in children and in the early teenage years. After satisfying their curiosity, they may decide to stop using them, or end up abusing illegal drugs,” he added.

PDEA is eyeing amendments to Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 6 Series of 2003 which sets forth the guidelines for the random drug testing of students in public and private secondary, tertiary/higher education institutions and post-secondary technical vocational schools.