Arguing over official drug statistics, a thread. 1. I'd reviewed the origins of our drug policies a couple of years ago. quezon.ph/2016/09/27/the…
2. I then proceeded to look at available figures and what they told (and didn't tell) us, from earlier years to 2016. quezon.ph/2016/10/05/the…
3. I also presented a data sheet (actually, a few data sheets) based on official and journalistic sources: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
4. Here is the current International Narcotics Control Strategy Report for 2019, as submitted to the U.S. Congress: state.gov/2019-incsr-vol…
5. The pertinent portion on the Philippines: 
6. For the Philippine government, there's the November, 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report: ddb.gov.ph/images/downloa…
7. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Philippine Drug Situation portion:
8. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Philippine Drug Situation portion, continued:
9. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Philippine Drug Situation portion (continued):
10. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Drug Supply Reduction portion:
2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Drug Supply Reduction portion (continued):
12. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Drug Demand Reduction portion:
2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Drug Demand Reduction portion (continued):
14. 2018 Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy report, Drug Demand Reduction portion (continued):
You can compare the above, with the Vice-President's report, and look at the numbers being discussed and what they mean (or cannot say). The Vice-President's ICAD Co-Chairperson's Report for Nov. 6-24, 2019. drive.google.com/file/d/1eI-P3k…
Worth bearing in mind are a couple of things. Government itself bases its estimates of drug-users according to a survey, and the figures include everything from one-time use, to actual addiction. Drug-affected barangays equally imprecise, based on reports (1 drug taker enough!).
PDEA itself reminiscent of American military in Vietnam: body count, number of operations, amounts seized, metrics for success. But asked, what is estimated volume of consumption, it said it doesn't make any estimates (so who can say what seized shabu means in larger scheme?).
What is important to consider is the report is based on official figures: including figures released independently by different organizations, which, combined, give a more holistic picture than the tunnel-vision reports of individual agencies.
In closing, here's a relevant read: psmag.com/social-justice…
And for those wanting to take a deeper dive, see: jstor.org/stable/2609832…
