EDITORIAL — Work hard to keep them that way

The barangays of Cambinocot, Kasambagan, and Zapatera are the latest barangays in Cebu City to be declared as drug-cleared, according to the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP).

Other barangays that have also been declared as drug-cleared include Budlaan, Kamagayan, Agsungot, Binaliw, Tabunan, Punta Princesa, Kalubihan, Adlaon, Basak Pardo, Buot Taup, Kinasang-an, Lusaran, San Antonio, Pamutan and Parian, Sudlon 1 and 2, Toong, Sto. Niño, Sapangdaku, and Sinsin.

“Our gratitude to our very supportive partners DILG Cebu City, CCPO, PDEA, COSAP, CADAC and the Coalition of Anti-Drug Abuse Communities of Cebu City,” COSAP in-charge Ernest Herrera was quoted as saying in a report in this newspaper.

This is all well and good. But authorities, residents, and other stakeholders should not rest on their laurels.

Basing on an explanation provided for a previous editorial also regarding drug-cleared areas, the definition of “drug-cleared” was given as the absence of drug pushers in a certain area, not necessarily the absence of drug users.

So while there may no longer be people supplying drugs in a certain area, some people there may still be using drugs. And demand will always look for a supply, opening the possibility of the return of those selling drugs.

We should also be reminded that it may also be that drug pushers in so-called “drug-cleared” barangays may have not totally stopped selling drugs and just decided to transfer somewhere else, whether in search of more lucrative markets or to avoid “heat” from the police.

One thing is sure; the drug problem isn’t one that is slowing down, let alone stopping anytime soon. Almost every day we get reports of someone being arrested for selling drugs. And millions of pesos’ worth of seized drugs are also no longer big news; in fact they are becoming more and more commonplace.

Don’t get us wrong, we should be happy for barangays that have become drug-cleared. It’s just that we --authorities, residents, and other stakeholders-- should work hard to keep them that way.