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[av_heading heading=’Another alarming addiction’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
Rex Maestrecampo
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THE GOVERNMENT is so focused on the campaign against illegal drugs – specifically shabu, marijuana and ecstasy pills – that it has unwittingly forgot another form of addiction happening openly and everywhere, and primarily victimizes children and teens. We are referring to toluene sniffing addiction.
Only a few years ago, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced it was curbing the use of toluene-based contact cement (TBCC) or what many simply call as “rugby.” But we haven’t heard from it about this quite some time now.
Toluene, a colorless, flammable and toxic liquid obtained from coal tar or petroleum, is included in Table II of the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. That rugby is cheaper than shabu, marijuana and ecstasy pills should all the more make us worry about the unchecked rugby sniffing addiction in the country.
According to the Dangerous Drugs Board, TBCC is one of the top three substances among drug abusers. A significant number of users belong to the youth group, majority of whom are children. It pains us to see our young people, especially out-of-school children and youth, getting addicted to harmful substances like TBCC because of easy access to this toxic adhesive. We know that repeated exposure to toluene can lead to irreversible damage to the brain and the central nervous system.
PDEA banned the over-the-counter sale of TBCC that does not contain at least five percent mustard oil, an additive that will make “rugby” unattractive to sniffing addicts because of the obnoxious smell. But to further eliminate sniffing as a health and social issue, we further hope that the government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will issue a chemical control order for toluene and promote toluene-free consumer adhesives that will be less injurious if misused.
Considering its extremely damaging effect to the health of child and youth users, we urge the government to consider scaling up the campaign versus TBCC with industry, civil society and community support.
We also hope that the government, working hand in hand with the churches, charities and civic groups, will extend compassionate assistance to TBCC-users to help them get rid of the toxic habit, providing them with counseling, rehabilitation, educational and skills-building opportunities.
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