OTC sale of shabu-like drugs alarms PDEA

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — Sale and possession of metamphetamine hydrochloride, or commonly known as shabu, could land a person in jail, but some persons who want to get “high” or addicted without the risk of imprisonment have apparently discovered another drug that could be a substitute for shabu.

Worse, this drug, with a generic name mephentermine could be bought over-the-counter.

A PDEA memorandum sent to PDEA regional offices last September 11, stated that mephentermine is not included in the list of dangerous drugs under Republic Act 9165. It raised however the alarm: “Based on the account of the examining chemist from Laboratory Service, it is a stimulant that has similar effect and characteristics with that of shabu.”

An online report said that mephentermine is used to maintain blood pressure in hypotensive states, for example, following spinal anesthesia. Although its central stimulant effects are much less than those of amphetamine, its use may lead to amphetamine-type dependence.

The use or addiction to mephentermine was only discovered following the arrest of two suspected drug personalities in Metro Manila.

The case against them was dismissed after their legal counsel contested that mephentermine is not listed under RA 9165's list of prohibited, dangerous, illegal, or regulated drugs.

After such incident, PDEA-6 regional director Edwin Layese said the agency would ask the Dangerous Drugs Board to include mephentermine in the list of regulated drugs.

By declaring mephentermine as a regulated drug, pharmacist, doctors, dentists, veterinaries, and the like could not sell the drug without an S2 clearance, which is a license or permit issued by PDEA to those who prescribed the medicine, said Layese.

For now, PDEA's hands are tied on the sale of mephentermine at drug stores. “We might ask the drug stores to give us the names of those who purchase that drug and if we suspect that he or she exceeded the recommended dosage, we might conduct monitoring operations,” he added.

Since the memorandum was released more than a week ago, Layese said his office could not yet determine the status of mephentermine use in Western Visayas.  (FREEMAN)