First off, let me just say that I'm not looking for sources. I'm just curious as to why there's no heroin or any other opiates in the Philippines. I mean, it's right next to the Golden Triangle, you'd think it'd be flooded with h but no. And, yes, I realise the penalties are outrageous but that goes for shabu as well and that's everywhere. Thoughts?
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AADD Moderators: Tronica
No heroin in the PHilippines!
- Thread starter pirate24
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crappybones
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maybe theres no demand for it there?
rm2x
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belarki
Bluelight Crew
No availability discussions sorry. I'm sure there is some heroin there (along with pharm. grade opiates) perhaps just not as readily available as other SE asian countries? You'd have to look at supply, demand, penalities, etc.
I'm closing this for now. Unless you want to pm me with further discussion for the thread and can back it with literature and/or statistics on drug trends across asia?
Edit: opened at request of another bluelighter for further discussion. Please steer away from anecdotal experience and discuss verified/documented drug trends and history only.
I'm closing this for now. Unless you want to pm me with further discussion for the thread and can back it with literature and/or statistics on drug trends across asia?
Edit: opened at request of another bluelighter for further discussion. Please steer away from anecdotal experience and discuss verified/documented drug trends and history only.
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rachamim
Bluelighter
Actually the Philippines is the only SE Asian nation without heroin. In the late 1960s and early 70s there was a fair amount of heroin (#3) in the Metro Manila area. Eventually the market was consolidated by 1 man, an ethnic-Chinese (Tsinoy as they are known in the Philippines) named Lim Seng.
Seng was 1 of 4 local men who would produce #3 locally, buying morphine from ethnic-Chinese in Thailand. Eventually he also began manufacturing #4 for export and that was his downfall. Seng began exporting so much #4 that he was able to undersell his 3 competitors who soon went out of business leaving Lim Seng holding a monopoly not only on the export market, but on the Manila #3 market as well. Monopolies are dangerous for everyone.
2 American Airmen were hopping a flight to Okinawa and were arrested in the pre-flight search at Clark Airbase (north of Manila)with 4 ounces of pure #4. Naturally they gave up their connection and as those things go it led up the line to Seng. The Philippines even now has a symbiotic political relationship with America. In the Vietnam Era though it was practically an American colony and so looking for a good whipping boy over the wave of military addictions the US bore down on Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
With only a single distributor in the entire city, the only Philippine city with a street scene, it took only a couple of months for the entire local market to collapse. Then, ignoring petty dealers the government went after addicts who had turned to pharmaceutical opiates and opioids. Locking thousands of addicts up in mental hospital type re-education camps the Philippine Government simultaneously took aim at its own pharmacopiea.
By 1975 even codeine had been removed from the market. Imagine a nation that gives terminal cancer patients anti-psychotic medication to try and assuage their excruciating pain. Though Marcos was gone by 1986 the newly-Democratic nation had far too many problems on its hands to even consider trying to tackle the lack of pain relief.
Ironically it was that 14 years without illicit drugs that led to the country's present problem with smokable methamphetamine, called "Shabu" (Japanese slang meaning "Go Fast") locally. Addiction in most Filipinos' minds was tied to opiates/opioids and so they came like lambs to the slaughter.
By the early 1990s the World Health Organisation,or "WHO," became increasingly concerned with the nation's lack of opiates/opioids and began lobbying for their re-inclusion in the pharmacopiea. With more than 20 years without them the country was convinced that it didn't need them. However, as is so often the case, the desire for increased Aid led the Philippine Government to temper its attitude if ever so slightly.
It agreed, under duress, to introduce the opioid nabulphine hcl. into the pharmocopiea under the brand name "Nubain." Nabulphine is considered practically useless by the Western World, so much so in fact that it is not even a Scheduled Substance in the US, placed below even codeine combination medications like codeine/APAP, etc.
While it was progress it wasn't sufficient for the WHO and so it ended up actually taking the Philippine Government to court on the issue though the case was averted, after nearly a decade of haggling, with a Settlement that allowed for the re-introduction of substantiative opiates/opioids. Interestingly the Settlement still barred moderate opiates/opioids like codeine, dihydrocodeine and dihydrocodeinone (hydrocodone) while allowing morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl.
The WHO has what is known as the, "3 Rung Pain Ladder." Pain, according to WHO Guidelines is to be treated in the following manner:
Rung I: Non-opiate/opioid analgesics like APAP, Motrin and aspirin and non-steroidals.
Rung II: Non-steroidals together with combination opiate/opioids like APAP with codeine or moderate opiates/opioids like codeine on its own.
Rung III: Heavy opiates/opioids like hydromorphone, oxycodone, fentanyl, morphone and so on.
The Philippines, ever terrified of opiate/opioid addiction agreed to a novel solution. It would institute a modified Pain Ladder. Instead of the 3 Rung it would implement a 2 Rung with Rung I and III. The patient would graduate from Motrin to morphine.
In agreeing to this novel, somewhat insane solution the Government also revamped its prescription system. Now all Controlled Substances, known locally as, "Dangerous Drugs," would require an S2 Prescription. Only physicians undergoing a more rigorous liscencure from the "Bureau of Dangerous Drugs" can administer an S2 Prescription. To date only 18% of physicians bother to even apply for the liscence.
As if that isn't dismal enough, there is the issue of availability. The Philippines is a nation of 7,107 islands. Most islands do not stock the 4 approved opiates/opiates (pethedine/meperidine, oxycodone, fentanyl and morphine). Those that do have very limited stocks. Outside of certain hospitals only a single retail chain stocks them and then only in designated stores. The designated stores are allowed only a maximum amount of stock (for example, with morphine it is 3 boxes of tablets, each box containing 100 tablets). However they usually stock only 1 box because store managers are personally responsible if they stock medications that don't sell within certain periods of time.
Pricing is also an issue. Only morphine is produced domestically and is still far above what most can afford. There is no national minimum wage but an avverage labourer makes 5 US Dollars a day. He would have to work 2 weeks straight to buy a box of morphine. Most prefer to feed their children. Because one can rarely afford to buy it, it doesn't make sense to stock it and so it becomes a circuitous problem.
In terms of a new street trade having developed...Ironically the Philippines is the only nation on the planet with a street scene entirely revolving around nabulphine! Even then it is only in 2 neighbourhoods of a single city (Cebu City). Because nabulphine is only injectable there is a 98% prevalence of HIV and 100% of HCV (Hep C). Because of poverty dosages are sold by placing each user's syringe into a single ampoule.
There is a fair amount of heroin transhipment, especially by West Africans but they just haven't cared to branch off into local sales. My initial guess was poverty but Indonesia is poorer and the Africans there were able to develop a huge domestic market (if only in Jakarta). Still, I reckon sooner or later someone will try it in Cebu City and then all bets are off.
Alternatively it could take place like the transition into cocaine. A Chinese freighter dumped more than a tonne of cocaine in kilo packages into the sea as a joint Chinese-Philippine counter narcotic operation took place last year. Ever since cocaine has taken hold. People are still fishing kilos hahaha.
Seng was 1 of 4 local men who would produce #3 locally, buying morphine from ethnic-Chinese in Thailand. Eventually he also began manufacturing #4 for export and that was his downfall. Seng began exporting so much #4 that he was able to undersell his 3 competitors who soon went out of business leaving Lim Seng holding a monopoly not only on the export market, but on the Manila #3 market as well. Monopolies are dangerous for everyone.
2 American Airmen were hopping a flight to Okinawa and were arrested in the pre-flight search at Clark Airbase (north of Manila)with 4 ounces of pure #4. Naturally they gave up their connection and as those things go it led up the line to Seng. The Philippines even now has a symbiotic political relationship with America. In the Vietnam Era though it was practically an American colony and so looking for a good whipping boy over the wave of military addictions the US bore down on Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
With only a single distributor in the entire city, the only Philippine city with a street scene, it took only a couple of months for the entire local market to collapse. Then, ignoring petty dealers the government went after addicts who had turned to pharmaceutical opiates and opioids. Locking thousands of addicts up in mental hospital type re-education camps the Philippine Government simultaneously took aim at its own pharmacopiea.
By 1975 even codeine had been removed from the market. Imagine a nation that gives terminal cancer patients anti-psychotic medication to try and assuage their excruciating pain. Though Marcos was gone by 1986 the newly-Democratic nation had far too many problems on its hands to even consider trying to tackle the lack of pain relief.
Ironically it was that 14 years without illicit drugs that led to the country's present problem with smokable methamphetamine, called "Shabu" (Japanese slang meaning "Go Fast") locally. Addiction in most Filipinos' minds was tied to opiates/opioids and so they came like lambs to the slaughter.
By the early 1990s the World Health Organisation,or "WHO," became increasingly concerned with the nation's lack of opiates/opioids and began lobbying for their re-inclusion in the pharmacopiea. With more than 20 years without them the country was convinced that it didn't need them. However, as is so often the case, the desire for increased Aid led the Philippine Government to temper its attitude if ever so slightly.
It agreed, under duress, to introduce the opioid nabulphine hcl. into the pharmocopiea under the brand name "Nubain." Nabulphine is considered practically useless by the Western World, so much so in fact that it is not even a Scheduled Substance in the US, placed below even codeine combination medications like codeine/APAP, etc.
While it was progress it wasn't sufficient for the WHO and so it ended up actually taking the Philippine Government to court on the issue though the case was averted, after nearly a decade of haggling, with a Settlement that allowed for the re-introduction of substantiative opiates/opioids. Interestingly the Settlement still barred moderate opiates/opioids like codeine, dihydrocodeine and dihydrocodeinone (hydrocodone) while allowing morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl.
The WHO has what is known as the, "3 Rung Pain Ladder." Pain, according to WHO Guidelines is to be treated in the following manner:
Rung I: Non-opiate/opioid analgesics like APAP, Motrin and aspirin and non-steroidals.
Rung II: Non-steroidals together with combination opiate/opioids like APAP with codeine or moderate opiates/opioids like codeine on its own.
Rung III: Heavy opiates/opioids like hydromorphone, oxycodone, fentanyl, morphone and so on.
The Philippines, ever terrified of opiate/opioid addiction agreed to a novel solution. It would institute a modified Pain Ladder. Instead of the 3 Rung it would implement a 2 Rung with Rung I and III. The patient would graduate from Motrin to morphine.
In agreeing to this novel, somewhat insane solution the Government also revamped its prescription system. Now all Controlled Substances, known locally as, "Dangerous Drugs," would require an S2 Prescription. Only physicians undergoing a more rigorous liscencure from the "Bureau of Dangerous Drugs" can administer an S2 Prescription. To date only 18% of physicians bother to even apply for the liscence.
As if that isn't dismal enough, there is the issue of availability. The Philippines is a nation of 7,107 islands. Most islands do not stock the 4 approved opiates/opiates (pethedine/meperidine, oxycodone, fentanyl and morphine). Those that do have very limited stocks. Outside of certain hospitals only a single retail chain stocks them and then only in designated stores. The designated stores are allowed only a maximum amount of stock (for example, with morphine it is 3 boxes of tablets, each box containing 100 tablets). However they usually stock only 1 box because store managers are personally responsible if they stock medications that don't sell within certain periods of time.
Pricing is also an issue. Only morphine is produced domestically and is still far above what most can afford. There is no national minimum wage but an avverage labourer makes 5 US Dollars a day. He would have to work 2 weeks straight to buy a box of morphine. Most prefer to feed their children. Because one can rarely afford to buy it, it doesn't make sense to stock it and so it becomes a circuitous problem.
In terms of a new street trade having developed...Ironically the Philippines is the only nation on the planet with a street scene entirely revolving around nabulphine! Even then it is only in 2 neighbourhoods of a single city (Cebu City). Because nabulphine is only injectable there is a 98% prevalence of HIV and 100% of HCV (Hep C). Because of poverty dosages are sold by placing each user's syringe into a single ampoule.
There is a fair amount of heroin transhipment, especially by West Africans but they just haven't cared to branch off into local sales. My initial guess was poverty but Indonesia is poorer and the Africans there were able to develop a huge domestic market (if only in Jakarta). Still, I reckon sooner or later someone will try it in Cebu City and then all bets are off.
Alternatively it could take place like the transition into cocaine. A Chinese freighter dumped more than a tonne of cocaine in kilo packages into the sea as a joint Chinese-Philippine counter narcotic operation took place last year. Ever since cocaine has taken hold. People are still fishing kilos hahaha.
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DavisK4high247
Bluelighter
Nubain is a schedule 4 opiate in the US I think. I have had it once for a migraine and it was certainly not equal even to morphine or far from hydromorphone,oxycodone,and even hydrocodone orally is stronger..that sucks , I thought the Phillipines would at least have decent pain medicine for properly prescibed useage!! Bummer, thats some stupid shit to deny people access to pain meds ,especially after surgery or people with terminal cancer. And what has the opiate prohibition led to= crystal meth, and meth pills (Yaba) I assume as well..see what stupidity opiophobia does to people that actually need opiates to just be semi comfortable in the last few months of their lives!!!
rachamim
Bluelighter
Davis: Let me look into my crystal ball...You live in Kentucky, yes? Hahaha. Federally it is un-Scheduled. It was introduced in 1971 and placed in Schedule II. In 1973 the patent holder petitioned for a re-evaluation and that year it was removed from Sceduling. However, morons in the state of Kentucky have taken it upon themselves to place it in Schedule IV in the State System.
There is no Yaa Baa in the Philippines, only what they call Yaa Ice in Thailand and Cambodia. Americans call it Ice. Yaa Baa would never sell, it is too impure for the Philippines where purity rarely is below 95%. Professional chemists manufacture it in warehouse operations.
On the lack of pain relief, it is actually a very real problem throughout the under developed word. However only the Philippines has purposely made it so in a concerted effort.
Mysterie: Truly insane. Until the Death Penalty was removed 4 years ago you could be executed for 10 grammes of poppy seeds. Still gets life in prison though. In fact, just last month there was a huge scandal when a senator revealed that a gourmet cooking shoppe in Manila had...perish the thought...tiny bottles of poppy seeds in imported spice assortments. The Bureau of Dangerous Drugs then began raiding stores to search for seeds though they only found them at that 1 shoppe.
Worse though? In the Colonial Era the country was a huge hemp producer. There is a native variety, Abaca, but American planters tried cannabis sativa as an alternative. The result is wild hemp. 7 years ago some poor old farmer was found with 4 wild plants growing on an uncleared portion of his property. He got the Death Penalty.
Funny though, on the island I live on people farm 10 hectare plots of cannabis for the export drugs trade. Prosecution is very, very selective.
There is no Yaa Baa in the Philippines, only what they call Yaa Ice in Thailand and Cambodia. Americans call it Ice. Yaa Baa would never sell, it is too impure for the Philippines where purity rarely is below 95%. Professional chemists manufacture it in warehouse operations.
On the lack of pain relief, it is actually a very real problem throughout the under developed word. However only the Philippines has purposely made it so in a concerted effort.
Mysterie: Truly insane. Until the Death Penalty was removed 4 years ago you could be executed for 10 grammes of poppy seeds. Still gets life in prison though. In fact, just last month there was a huge scandal when a senator revealed that a gourmet cooking shoppe in Manila had...perish the thought...tiny bottles of poppy seeds in imported spice assortments. The Bureau of Dangerous Drugs then began raiding stores to search for seeds though they only found them at that 1 shoppe.
Worse though? In the Colonial Era the country was a huge hemp producer. There is a native variety, Abaca, but American planters tried cannabis sativa as an alternative. The result is wild hemp. 7 years ago some poor old farmer was found with 4 wild plants growing on an uncleared portion of his property. He got the Death Penalty.
Funny though, on the island I live on people farm 10 hectare plots of cannabis for the export drugs trade. Prosecution is very, very selective.
rachamim
Bluelighter
Baron: There is a tiny bit of MDMA in a couple of the nation's big cities but not enough to register even possession arrests. The 2 illicit drugs that are found in quantity are cannabis and Shabu (methamphetamine). Shabu is found even in the most remote of places and all levels of society have become addicted to it.
Funny in a way. Had they had to deal with opiate/opioid addicts they can place them on Opioid Substitution Therapy and the problem becomes manageable. For millions upon millions of speed freaks there is no magic bullet. In trying to avoid one problem they made themselves vulnerable to a worse problem.
Funny in a way. Had they had to deal with opiate/opioid addicts they can place them on Opioid Substitution Therapy and the problem becomes manageable. For millions upon millions of speed freaks there is no magic bullet. In trying to avoid one problem they made themselves vulnerable to a worse problem.
Cheers for the info Rachamim
Update: Just had another 5 hours work, including a very painful procedure whereby they wrap each tooth with a "retraction cord" to raise the gums before making an impression. Its even more fun than it sounds. Speechless at the end when I asked for some painkillers and was offered some of their hardest dope... paracetamol! with added paracetamol! As comic book guy once said, "theres no emoticon for what I'm feeling right now!"
Update: Just had another 5 hours work, including a very painful procedure whereby they wrap each tooth with a "retraction cord" to raise the gums before making an impression. Its even more fun than it sounds. Speechless at the end when I asked for some painkillers and was offered some of their hardest dope... paracetamol! with added paracetamol! As comic book guy once said, "theres no emoticon for what I'm feeling right now!"
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DoseYouAll
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2009
- Messages
- 242
Phillipines sounds like one fucked up place ! Full of morons!
rachamim
Bluelighter
It is quite livable if you learn the ropes. Money talks, you can buy your way out of or into anything, except for illicit opiates/opioids. Of course morphine suits me just fine so no real problems though finding it sometimes takes days and an overnight trip.
Christ!
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2006
- Messages
- 1,013
Very interesting read. Had no idea of the opiate situation and history in Philippines.
That's like my worst nightmare...I would be a mess if I had to deal with so much dental work without pain relief. You are an inspiration to me sir.
That's like my worst nightmare...I would be a mess if I had to deal with so much dental work without pain relief. You are an inspiration to me sir.