TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Eastern Visayas on Wednesday said drug users affected by the economic crisis might have shifted from methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) to marijuana.

"Unlike shabu, a stick or a gram of marijuana is much cheaper…That is why these users have shifted to marijuana. They are also feeling the heat of [the economic] crisis," PDEA-8 regional director Gil Pabilona said on Wednesday.

Pabilona said a stick of marijuana can be bought for as a low as P10 while a gram of costs from P70 to P100.

In contrast, a sachet of shabu sells for P200 and a gram of shabu for P5,000.

Pabilona said that from July to November 15, they arrested more persons -- 33 -- for possession of marijuana, compared to only 20 arrested for possession of shabu.

The PDEA-8 also seized a higher volume of marijuana, 2,171 grams valued at over P217,000, and only 6.37 grams of shabu worth P127,000, Pabilona said.