DDB is taking steps

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is saddened by recent reports about the death of five concert attendees due to alleged drug-taking.

As the country’s lead agency on drug prevention and control, the DDB will conscientiously monitor the investigation of this case, make responsible parties answer for any lapses in ensuring security and in the enforcement of laws, and review existing policies and programs to prevent more such incidents from happening.

We would also like to remind the public, especially the youth, to be vigilant and wary especially now that our law enforcement agencies have recorded a rise in the incidence of abuse of new psychoactive substances.

Like what we always say in our campaigns, what these drugs and substances offer is false panacea. They offer nothing but a fleeting high that exposes users to risks that could lead to their death.

As we strengthen law enforcement efforts and intelligence operations to arrest drug syndicates and traffickers, we will also intensify our drug prevention and awareness programs to educate the people on the ill effects of drugs and to empower them to resist.

—ELLA MARIE L. DIMACULANGAN,public relations officer, Dangerous Drugs Board