Drug Abuse On the Rise Among Young Fil-Ams in L.A.

By Marisse G. Abelgas


Pinoy parents, listen up: your kids could be just a drink or smoke away from becoming drug abusers.

A survey conducted recently by the Asian American Drug Abuse Program, Inc. (AADAP) in Los Angeles County points to a disturbing trend of drug abuse among Filipinos, raising the specter of possibly untreated social and health problems festering in the community.

According to the survey, drugs most used by Filipinos are alcohol (97 percent), marijuana (93 percent) and crystal meth or methamphetamine (39 percent). The survey further reveals that Filipino communities having the highest use and access to crystal meth, also known as shabu, are Carson (63 percent), Long Beach (61 percent) and Historic Filipinotown (53 percent).

Conducted in September, 2007, the survey’s respondents were from 18-30 years of age, and mostly first-generation immigrants who have been in the U.S. approximately 11 years or more.

Almost half of the respondents said they started using their drug of choice between the ages of 16 and 18. Among the most cited reasons for taking drugs were “drugs are part of a cool lifestyle,” “thrill,” “curiosity,” “just wanna try it,” and “way out of stress/pain/frustration.” The survey also reveals that peer pressure and easy access are the primary reasons respondents take to drugs.

The findings were presented at a forum organized by the AADAP in cooperation with the Carson Regional Library as the launching activity for Red Ribbon Week from October 23 - 31 in the City of Carson. Established in 1972 at the height of the drug abuse crisis in Los Angeles, the AADAP contracts with the Department of Health Services to provide substance abuse services for Asian American youth.

The panel discussion was headed by AADAP’s Carol Almeda and participated in by Richard Bis (also of AADAP) who gave the opening remarks; Mylene de Jesus of Carson Regional Library who welcomed community members and the media; Dorothy de Leon, Director for Contract Management and Compliance of the Drug Abuse Program of L.A. County and Chair of the Crystal Meth Work Group, and three members of the Carson Student Movement whose names are being withheld for confidentiality reasons. The three high schoolers provided firsthand testimony of drug abuse, further validating the survey’s findings.

One of the young panelists who called himself “John,” clearly remembers the day he got hooked on alcohol. His cousin, he said, offered him the drink during a family get-together. While he was fully aware of the negative consequences of drinking alcohol, John said his low self-esteem nevertheless pushed him to accept the drink, which led to leisurely indulging, and finally to uncontrolled bingeing. It got so bad, John said, that he could not even recall things that happened before he passed out from consuming so much alcohol.

Testimonies from the other youth participants also pointed to family members as being the primary source of exposure to alcohol.

According to Carol Almeda who conducted the survey, the findings indicate that majority of the respondents’ primary access to alcohol was at home or through family members. “With respect to alcohol, “ Almeda said, “it is evident that the family and home are deemed to be the dominant channels of access.”

Compounding the problem, Almeda adds, is the “phenomenon of non-recognition” within the community of alcoholism as a medical condition, despite data that attest to early exposure to, and use of alcohol by generations of Filipinos.

The forum’s young panelists in fact, agreed that their elders are seemingly unaware of the adverse effects on younger family members who are invariably exposed to alcohol consumption during parties and other social events.

Although other substance abuse surveys involving the Filipino-American community have been conducted previously, Almeda said there is still a dearth of reliable data on alcohol and drug addiction specifically within the Fil-Am community.

“Ethnicity-specific surveys, i.e., Filipino surveys on substance abuse is relatively new because the US data system lumps the Asian and Pacific Islander groups into a generic classification called "API". It is only of late and mainly through the advocacy of these affected groups that there is now a move to break down API data into specific ethnic groups,” Almeda said. According to the Los Angeles County website, Asians and Pacific Islanders comprise over 40 different nationalities who speak more than 100 languages and dialects.

According to ADPA’s Dorothy de Leon, an alarming trend also characterizes the use of crystal meth as a drug of choice for young Filipino-Americans. A recent analysis by the ADPA of people admitted to publicly funded treatment centers in Los Angeles County from 2001 to 2005 reveals that two “subgroups” which experienced the most dramatic increase in treatment admissions for primary meth usage were Filipinos and Latinos. Filipino meth users were both male and female, aged 18 to 25.

Crystal meth, also known as the “sex drug” because it reportedly heightens the sexual experience, is also popular among women because it induces weight loss. However, according to the ADPA study, prolonged use of methamphetamine “creates tolerance for the drug and escalating dosage levels creates dependence.” The study adds that chronic meth abusers exhibit violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, insomnia and other adverse effects associated with sleep deprivation, leading to psychotic symptoms.

In recognition of this problem, De Leon said, the state of California will launch a meth initiative in January, targeting young people from the ages of 12 to 24, including young women of child-bearing age particularly in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. “Expect a deluge of radio and TV ads to increase awareness of the problem,” De Leon said. The county of Los Angeles, De Leon added, has already identified new funding for the treatment and prevention of substance abuse.

Meanwhile, Almeda said the AADAP strives to build alliances with political leaders and collaborates with community organizations as it reaches out to the parents/families of the youth they organize.

Tragically, as the survey points out, 77 percent of respondents are not aware of prevention or treatment services which are readily available or located in or near their communities.

“In the course of developing our network in the community, we put up
an Advisory Board on Prevention of Substance Abuse composed of individuals we think have a certain level of commitment to the cause. We work with them in planning, implementing and assessing programs. Our dictum is to make the Advisory Board functional. Through the network that we build, we carry out a series of awareness and education programs. Incorporated in these programs is a resource guide to train people into navigating the system,” Almeda said.

Almeda said community members who are in need of AADAP’s services can call (323) 293-6284.

“Desperate Housewives’ producers apologize, but Fil-Ams not happy

By Val G. Abelgas

LOS ANGELES — A remark made on the fourth season premiere episode of “Desperate Housewives” Sunday night that belittled Philippine-educated doctors stirred Filipinos in the homeland and overseas into action, each one demanding an apology from the producers for what was deemed a racial slur.

On Wednesday, the producers and ABC Studios apologized. But many Filipinos said it was not enough, and are now threatening to boycott Desperate Housewives and ABC shows.
“The producers of ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines. As leaders in broadcast diversity, we are committed to presenting sensitive and respectful image of all communities featured in our programs,” ABC Studios said in an e-mailed statement.

Desperate Housewives, which began airing in October 2004, is a comedy-drama series following the lives of a group of women living on the same street as they work through domestic struggles.

The controversial scene showed Teri Hatcher’s character (Susan) at a hospital, being told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause. Susan replied, “Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? ‘Coz I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines.”

The storm of protests was apparently started by Kevin Nadal, who describes himself as a “Filipino performing artist and activist,” who on Monday circulated a petition in the internet demanding that the producers of “Desperate Housewives” apologize for the “offending remark.” Nadal is a university professor in New York.

Soon, Filipino bloggers all over the world joined in condemning the racial slur and demanding an apology from the producers. Some of them threatened to boycott “Desperate Housewives” and other ABC shows.

The petition had garnered almost 45,000 signatures from Filipinos and other nationalities all over the world. Ironically, Teri Hatcher was among those who signed. Hatcher, who was signatory number 17491, commented: “Whether in reel or real life, I would still ask the doctor to show me his credential.”

Referring to the Hatcher character’s line, Nadal said in his widely circulated e-mail: “This type of derogatory remark is not only unnecessary and hurtful, but is also unfounded, considering the presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the health care industry. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. and passing their U.S. licensing boards as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians.

“In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant.”

Some Filipino-American groups said it wanted the TV network to take concrete steps to correct its mistake, such as holding cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness training for its management and staff.

Rico Foz, executive vice president of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (Nafcon), said the group was demanding that ABC Television Network immediately edit out the controversial scene.

The show is currently available for online viewing.

Rodel Rodis, a San Francisco-based community leader and newspaper columnist, echoed the sentiment of several Filipino-Americans.

“We asked for an apology from ABC and we got it. It was the most anemic insipid apology that a PR hack could have hatched. We should have demanded much more than just an apology.

More than 25 million viewers saw and heard that disgusting defamatory attack on Philippine-trained medical practitioners. How many dozens of people will read an ABC apology that was written by ABC’s PR Department that was intended to appease and mollify the Filipino community?

“We should have demanded that ABC include an episode in a future “Desperate Housewives” where Terri Hatcher is asked about her preference for gynecologists to check on her menopause and she says, “I don’t care as long they graduated from a Philippine medical school because I hear they’re the best.” Anything less than that would be meaningless.”

Rodis called on Filipino-Americans to mount a boycott “not just of ABC but of its parent company, the Disney Corporation. “

“We should boycott Dineyland, Disneyworld, the Disney movies, etc. When it starts to hurt Disney in the bottom line, Disney will make sure that none of its movies or TV shows ever offend Filipinos again. They will make sure thattheir scriptwriters and directors are culturally-sensitized so that they dare not ever make this mistake again,” Rodis added.

In Manila, a lawmaker filed a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to condemn the racial slur on Filipino doctors in the United States.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, chair of the House committee on public information, said the popular TV series should be banned from the Philippines’ free and cable TV, although this was not included in the resolution. “[The slur] affects not only Filipino doctors but all Filipinos as well,” he told reporters.
Nafcon, which has also been leading the campaign for the rights of nurses in the controversial Sentosa case, plans to hold pickets in front of the network’s headquarters in New York and programming offices in Burbank, California, to push for their demands.

The picket in New York is set for Friday at 6 p.m.

While Nadal’s petition travelled around the world, reaching both Filipinos in the Philippines and those working overseas, Philippine government officials joined the chorus by lodging formal protest in official letters to Mark Pedowitz, president of ABC Television Network with headquarters in Burbank.

Among those who demanded an apology were Consul General Mary Jo A. Bernardo-Aragon of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and PMA president Dr. Jose Sabili.

The remarks “served to create racial stereotypes, thereby tainting unnecessarily the excellent record of Filipino health care professionals all over the world,” Aragon said in the letter to ABC TV Network president Mark Pedowitz.

The Philippine Consulate in New York said it would send a letter of protest to ABC Network and ask for an apology for the slur.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the TV show belittled the abilities of Filipino doctors and sent a message that Philippine medical schools produced “substandard, inferior” medical practitioners.

Duque said the slur will tarnish the good image of Filipino doctors in the international community. He added that the slur was both irresponsible and without basis.
He said the country will not take the issue sitting down and will “vehemently” demand an apology from the producers.

Sabili, in an interview on ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda” said: “It’s not good for us. They shouldn’t have said those [insulting] words, because we all know that there are good doctors who graduated in the Philippines. That’s uncalled for.”

Earlier, the president of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said he will urge his counterpart in the US to demand an apology from the people behind the TV series.

Sabili, who was attending the World Medical Associations General Assembly in Copenhagen, Denmark, said he will seek an audience with the president of the American Medical Association to compel the TV producers to issue an apology for the insulting remark.

Sabili said the PMA will study the possible cause of negative perceptions of medical schools in the Philippines. He said ”diploma mills” and negative writeups of medical schools in local newspapers could have contributed to the negative perception.

Dr. Ed Barcelona of Lancaster, California, a past president of the Society of Philippine Surgeons of America, said in his letter to ABC: “I watched the recent episode of “ Desperate Housewives” by Teri Hatcher. Her remarks on that particular episode was degrading and insulting to all hardworking, competent and excellent physicians of Filipino heritage. Your staff, screenwriters and actresses need to take sensitivity courses. We deserve a public apology from ABC especially from Teri Hatcher and the particular scriptwriter involved. You are courting a possible massive boycott of all ABC shows by Filipino-Americans due to the irresponsible actions of a few of your staff.”

Nadal, who started the petition, said Filipino Americans must work together together “to ensure that this type of hateful message is not allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves.”

Nadal said this wasn’t the first time that negative remarks have been made about the Philippines or Filipinos in the past.

“In recent years, we’ve heard one too many ‘dogeater’ comments by ‘comedian’ Joan Rivers on the red carpet or in her standup act, and I believe that it is about time that we stand up for ourselves, so that this type of hateful speech never happens again,” Nadal added.

The petition also points out the major contribution that Filipinos and Filipino Americans make in healthcare in the United States: “...the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is extremely disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant. Many of the hospitals in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. (and the world) would not be able to operate without its Filipino and Filipino American staff members.”