AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6425, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 1972 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 1683
• Sections: 8

Preamble

WHEREAS, the campaign against the manufacture and

distribution of dangerous drugs is one of the nation's primary concern

in the fight against criminality and lawlessness;

WHEREAS, it has been noted that the use of regulated drugs as substitute for prohibited drugs has become rampant;

WHEREAS, there is an imperative necessity to

effectively check the use of both prohibited and regulated drugs by

increasing the penalties for illegal traffic in, and illegal importation

of, all dangerous drugs, and illegal manufacture of regulated drugs,

and by making them capital offenses;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of

the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the

Constitution and the laws of the land, do hereby order and decree:

Section 1

SECTION 1. Sub-paragraph (2), paragraph (e) of Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6425 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(2) "Regulated drug" which includes self-inducing sedatives, such

as secobarbital, phenobarbital, pentobarbital, barbital, amobarbital and

any other drug which contains a salt or a derivative of a salt of

barbituric acid; any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer, of amphetamine,

such as bensedrine or dexedrine, or any drug which produces a

physiological action similar to amphetamine; and hynotic drugs, such as

methaqualone, nitrazepam or any other compound producing similar

physiological effects;"

Section 2

SEC. 2. Section 3 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 3. Importation of Prohibited Drugs.— The

penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from twenty to

thirty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless

authorized by law, shall import or bring into the Philippines any

prohibited drug."

Section 3 Section 14 of the same. Act is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 14. Importation of Regulated Drugs.

SEC. 3. Section 14 of the same. Act is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 14. Importation of Regulated Drugs. —

The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from

twenty to thirty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who,

unless authorized by law, shall import or bring any regulated drug into

the Philippines".

Section 4

SEC. 4. Article III of R.A. No. 6425 is hereby

amended by adding a new section between Sections 14 and 15 to be known

as Section 14-A which shall read as follows:

"SEC. 14-A. Manufacture of Regulated Drugs.

— The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from

twenty to thirty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who,

unless authorized by law, shall engage in the manufacture of any

regulated drug.

Section 5

SEC. 5. Section 15 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 15. Sale, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Transportation and Distribution of Regulated Drugs. —

The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from

twenty thousand to thirty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any

persons who, unless authorized by law, shall sell, dispense, deliver,

transport or distribute any regulated drug. If the victim of the offense

is a minor, or should a regulated drug involved in any offense under

this Section be the proximate cause of the death of a victim thereof,

the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed.

Section 6

SEC. 6. Paragraph (1) of Section 36 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(1) Authorize, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, the

importation, distribution, manufacture, production, compounding,

prescription, dispensing and sale of, and other lawful acts in

connection with, dangerous drugs of such kind and quantity as it may

deem necessary according to the medical and research needs of the

country, which authorization shall be required by the Commissioner of

Internal Revenue as a basis for the issuance of permits for such

purposes in accordance with Republic Act No. 953; and to determine the

quantity/quantities to be imported, manufactured and held in stock at

any given time by an authorized importer, manufacturer distributor of

dangerous drugs;"

Section 7

SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA

Presidential Assistant