The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) warned the public, particularly vape users, on the presence of cannabis (marijuana) oil cartridges that are now being used as vape aerosol in the country.
The warning was issued after agents of the PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service (SES) seized a total of 184 cannabis cartridges in separate buy-bust operations in Taguig City on Thursday, March 14.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of two suspects.
Based on the PDEA report, the first suspect yielded 164 cartridges of marijuana oil, worth P738,000 after he was collared when a search warrant was served in his residence in Barangay Paglingon-Tipas.
Also confiscated from him were 28 grams of high-grade kush worth P14,000.
The second suspect was busted with 20 cartridges, worth P90,000, in Barangay Sta. Ana.
Intelligence reports revealed that the cannabis oil cartridges came from California in the United States, and are shipped to the Philippines through Thailand via courier service, especially cargos and balikbayan boxes.
An official of the PDEA-SES said it is “gravely alarming” that the cannabis oil cartridges could now find its way in the regular market, or even in social media, where it could easily be sold among the other legitimate vape aerosols.
“Worse, these highly-addictive aerosol could now be easily accessed by even students and other minors,” the official said.
The PDEA-SES official underscored that, at first glance, the cannabis oil cartridge could just be considered as a common cartridge that could be used in any vaping device. He said the marijuana extract could also be used as “carts, pods or even disposables”.
“That’s why there is the danger that these could be liberally used to look like the normal vape aerosol,” he warned.