Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Nicolas Torre III has warned the public against smoking illegal Thuoc Lao cigarettes or “tuklaw” as continued consumption of these could cause death like other illegal drugs.
Torre said “tuklaw” cigarettes are among the illegal items and substances targeted by the PNP in its anti-drug campaign. The PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), he added, is now coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to find out more about the substance.
The PDEA and the DDB earlier said “tuklaw” contains nicotine and a synthetic cannabinoid, which could lead to psychotic episodes and hallucinations, mimicking the effects of marijuana but more “potent and dangerous.”
In several viral videos, individuals who smoked “tuklaw,” particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Palawan, and Taguig City, manifested seizure-like reactions characterized by brief, shock-like body jerks and twitches.
In Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, five individuals, all students aged between 19 and 25, were arrested during a buy-bust operation on August 11, over alleged involvement in the proliferation of “tuklaw.” They were charged for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
After performing confirmatory tests using Gas Chromatograph – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) on “tuklaw” cigarettes seized during the operation, the presence of a synthetic cannabinoid was confirmed. The PDEA Laboratory Service sought the assistance of international and domestic forensic laboratories to establish definitive results.
PDEA said Thuoc Lao is a tobacco plant grown in the mountains of Northern Vietnam. It is either be smoked or chewed as part of Vietnamese rituals, but the traditional way of smoking it using a pipe is called ‘bamboo bong.’
The nicotine content of Thuoc Lao can reach as high as nine (9) percent compared to ordinary cigarettes, which have an average of one to three percent. (With PNA)