EDITORIAL - Party drugs

The arrest over the weekend of a 22-year-old former beauty pageant contestant who was caught with Kush weeds has exposed a serious problem regarding party drugs sweeping through the youth in Metro Cebu nowadays.

Considering the growing affluence of the youth in the metro, it cannot be denied that party drugs are also gaining some popularity among them, especially those whose lavish lifestyle includes excessive nightlife.

According to authorities, the Kush weeds seized from Teri Marina Silva Colmenares may have come from other countries. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 spokeswoman Leia Albiar Alcantara said Kush does not grow in the Philippines because of the weather.

A variety of cannabis, Kush weeds are very expensive. Since it is not as widely circulated locally as shabu, the extent of the Kush business in Metro Cebu is not yet known. Alcantara said they are now coordinating with the police in tracing the entry of Kush weeds in Central Visayas.

While the authorities are busy training their sights on shabu, marijuana, party drugs, and other illegal narcotics are quietly finding their way into the pockets of the young population. With their rising income, many young professionals in the country can now afford to live an extravagant lifestyle. And for those with lavish nightlife, there has always been easy access to party drugs.

This is a serious problem that local authorities should religiously deal with. One way to stop the flow of party drugs is for the police and PDEA to coordinate with the management and owners of bars and other nightspots against the entry of drugs into these establishments.

In Metro Cebu, there has never been any study conducted on party drugs’ popularity among the young professionals, especially those working in the booming business process outsourcing, who are the main market. Now, Colmenares’ arrest should help authorities ascertain the extent of the party drug business here.