More and more lawmakers are becoming convinced on the potential benefits of marijuana as medicine, an advocacy group recently said.
During the recent Media Health Forum held last Monday, September 11, Philippine Society of Cannabinoid Medicine founder Dr. Gem Mutia claimed that the fact that at least 10 bills have been filed in Congress to legalize medical marijuana means that it’s “no longer an issue” on whether medical cannabis is beneficial.
“Marami ng nakakita ng ebidensiya na talagang nakakagamot ang cannabis and the seven bills on medicalization,” Mutia said.
Decriminalize Cannabis use
Two bills filed in Congress seek to decriminalize cannabis in the list of dangerous drugs list, while another bill seeks for the establishment of Philippines Cannabis Development Authority (PHILCADA).
A lawyer, Atty. Henry Enaje, has also filed for a petition before the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to honor the reclassification by the United Nations to “lower” the category of cannabis and cannabis resin to remove the CBD or cannabidiol as a dangerous drug.
There are administrative and legislative move to push for the legalization of marijuana to be used as medicine.
The pending bills are now “updated” in the Senate, according to Mutia.
Zarah Uytingban Cruz, a former program specialist from the Office of Cannabis
Management in Sacramento, California, explained that in the original bills, there were only five entities throughout the Philippines allowed by the government to administer, cultivate and manufacture cannabis while the amended version of Sen. Robinhood Padilla, the private sector will have the opportunity to be part of the cannabis industry.
The cannabis industry could also become a viable alternative to the country’s tobacco industry, according to the forum’s participants.
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