DrugWatch alert: Child pushers growing in number

The Citizens’ DrugWatch Foundation called on local government units yesterday to be on alert against the increasing use of children by drug syndicates as couriers and street pushers.

DrugWatch volunteers in Metro Manila have noted the participation of children and minors in drug peddling activities particularly in slum areas. This observation is supported by a recent study of the International Labor Organization on the hiring of children and minors by local drug syndicates as "watchers," "runners" or "scorers."

DrugWatch executive director Susan Ople warned that the number of child drug pushers in the country will likely increase unless a more systematic program to help out-of-school youth spend their time constructively, is set in place.

"Boys who have dropped out of high school and are isolated from mainstream youth organizations are the likely targets of drug syndicates. They are recruited to sell drugs or to serve as the errand boys of known pushers," Ople explained.

Based on an ILO report, drug use is quite high among working children. A typical child drug pusher or trafficker has the following profile:

• Has completely dropped out of school.

• Does not seem to be associated with any youth/peer group, or loose network organized around recreational and other social activities in the community, but instead feel closely integrated to a drug-using group.

• Is exposed to a high level of incidence of substance, physical and emotional abuse in their households.

DrugWatch volunteers said child drug pushers are being used by syndicates because of their agility and strong will. Syndicates also know that the law is lenient on juveniles. But because the child drug pushers often end up as users, they end up using their earnings to buy drugs.