PDEA warns vs adulterated marijuana

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) warned the public yesterday that marijuana teabags sold by street pushers may contain “extenders” such as dried papaya and kamote leaves.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Arnold Carreon said these practices could pose an even greater danger to addicts because of the unknown effects of such mixtures.

“You can’t really buy anything pure anymore on the streets,” he told The STAR.

Carreon said PDEA had heard about how dried papaya and kamote leaves are mixed with burnt house lizard tail and toothpaste, then sold as marijuana.

“There is also the talampunay or the trumpet lily and magic mushrooms that grow on carabao dung,” he said, noting that no one really knows what effect such combinations have.

Carreon earlier warned of adulterated shabu with crystalline substances such as monosodium glutamate, a brand of bathroom deodorizer, and alum.

 “The average street shabu has only two percent purity,” Carreon explained adding that even mentholated hard candies are mixed with shabu.

PDEA said small-time drug pushers are selling adulterated illegal drugs because supplies have become scarce following the dismantling of 14 clandestine drug laboratories and warehouses in the past 12 months and the seizure of P2.93 billion worth of finished products, controlled precursors and laboratory equipment.