THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) are cautioning the public against the proliferation of “Thuoc Lao”, locally known as “Tuklaw” cigarettes in the streets.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary 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.
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.
“Thuoc Lao” is a tobacco plant grown in the mountains of Northern Vietnam. Locally, it can either be smoked or chewed as part of their rituals. The traditional way of smoking the tobacco is using a pipe called a bamboo bong. 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.
“These deadly cigarettes laced with synthetic cannabinoid are obviously smuggled goods and reportedly sold online. PDEA warns the public not to patronize “Tuklaw” because of the serious health risks involved. To all the parents, please advise your children not to even try it”, the PDEA Chief said. “Be also wary of individuals who practice shotgun smoking, or forcibly blowing “Tuklaw” fumes into another person’s mouth who then inhales it”, he added.
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.
From a regulatory control standpoint, the PDEA and DDB intend to initiate the necessary process to consider the scheduling and classification of the synthetic cannabinoid as a dangerous drug, following the legal mechanisms provided under Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and DDB Regulation No. 1, Series of 2014 on the Classification, Reclassification, Inclusion, and Rescheduling of Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals.
It is integral to emphasize that in the process of classifying, reclassifying, scheduling, or rescheduling substances under regulatory control, the DDB and PDEA adhere to evidence-based and multi-criteria assessment. Parameters such as documented seizure data, reports of diversion and abuse, international control status, and legitimate industrial, cultural, or pharmaceutical applications are thoroughly reviewed. These serve as critical benchmarks in determining whether a substance poses risks that warrant its regulation under existing drug control policies. This process ensures that appropriate safety nets and regulatory safeguards are put in place to mitigate health and social harms, especially in cases where there are observed gaps in the current regulatory framework for emerging substances like synthetic cannabinoids.
“Both agencies will likewise engage with concerned sectors, public health experts, and relevant government agencies, including the Department of Health, National Bureau of Investigation and the Food and Drug Administration, to ensure that any resulting policy measure is comprehensive, balanced, and implementable”, said DDB Chairman Secretary Oscar F Valenzuela.
“The ultimate intention is to safeguard the welfare and interest of the general public against the threats and dangers of potentially addictive and harmful substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids”, the DDB Chairman concluded.
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