The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is looking into the possibility of syndicated groups intending to market “tuklaw’’ in the country.

In a press briefing, PDEA spokesperson Joseph Frederick Calulut said coordination meetings among the agency’s agents are being conducted in the Mimaropa region to unearth the presence of unscrupulous organizations trying to test the local market in their “tuklaw’’ smuggling ploys.

“We cannot discount the fact na baka mayroon hong nagbabalak na mga sindikato to market (locally) this illegal substance (We cannot discount the possibility of syndicates trying to market this illegal substance),’’ Calulut explained.

At present, Calulut disclosed that the PDEA is waiting for one more test that will be included in the final report that will be submitted to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). 

Further, Calulut pointed out that the DDB will then come up with a regulation to ban “tuklaw’’ since it contains synthetic cannabinoid that is already prohibited based on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). 

In 2021, Calulut stated that the CND already released an advisory that the “spectra’’ discovered in “tuklaw’’ is prohibited.

However, Calulut noted that “we still need to get that regulation coming from the Dangerous Drug Board.’’

Calulut added that the PDEA has hooked up with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and other law enforcement groups that aids in the monitoring of online “tuklaw’’ sellers.

Sa ngayon kasi mino-monitor lang ho natin iyong mga (tuklaw) online sellers dahil base nga naman ho sa nakikita po natin, it is very accessible through online selling platforms kaya kailangan din ho nating bantayan at i-monitor kasi kawawa rin naman ho ang mga kabataan na tatamaan po nito (At present, we are merely monitoring the online sellers based on our observation, it is accessible through online selling platforms that is why we need to monitor them for the sake of the youth who will be affected by this),’’ Calulut said. 

The PDEA and the DDB have fully backed up measures that will classify the synthetic cannabinoid as a dangerous drug, which is present in “tuklaw’’ cigarettes.

From a regulatory control standpoint, both agencies intend to initiate the necessary process following the legal mechanisms provided under Republic Act  9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and DDB Regulation No. 1, Series  of 2014 pertaining to the “Classification, Reclassification, Inclusion and Rescheduling of Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals.’’

The two agencies reiterated their call to the public against the use of “Thuoc Lao”, locally known as “tuklaw” cigarettes as it has proliferated on the streets.

Earlier, PDEA Director General Isagani R. Nerez issued the warning in light of the agency’s laboratory findings on the cigarette indicating the presence of nicotine and synthetic cannabinoid designed to mimic the effects of marijuana but more potent and dangerous. 

“When used, “tuklaw” smokers may experience psychotic episodes and hallucinations.Thuoc Lao” is a tobacco plant grown in the mountains of Northern Vietnam,’’ Nerez warned.

Grabbing the public’s attention lately were the news reports showing several teenagers, after puffing “tuklaw” cigarettes, manifested seizure-like symptoms characterized by brief, shock-like body jerks and twitches. 

The PDEA said that locally, “tuklaw’’ can either be smoked or chewed as part of their rituals, adding that “the traditional way of smoking the tobacco is using a pipe called a bamboo bong.’’

Warning of its ill effects, the PDEA said that the nicotine content of “Thuoc Lao” can reach as high as nine percent compared to the ordinary cigarettes which has an average of one to three percent only. 

After performing confirmatory tests using Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) that determined the presence of synthetic cannabinoid in “tuklaw” cigarettes, the PDEA Laboratory Service also sought the assistance of international and domestic forensic laboratories to establish a definitive result.