PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY OF CEBU SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARDS

LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

HILARY ANN CONAHAN, JOSEPH ANZANO, CHRISTOPHER CAINGLET, VINCE CAINGLET,
CHRISAN LLOYD ABELLA, RYAN SABLAYAN, JULLIAN ROBERT TAN, KIM VILLACENCIO, DON
CHRISTIAN DICDICAN, JOSHUA SATINITIGAN, JERBY JAN MENDOZA

Abstract
Medical marijuana has been the kindly relevant issue worldwide. It has been highlighted by
different states out of knowing its benefits. That legalization of medical marijuana has come
to this point of debate and possibility underscores its relative safety and potential---borne
by decades of studies and safety. But despite its negative and renegade reputation, besides
what studies have shown on short-term and long-term effects, marijuana is far and away
much safer and more benign than any other recreational drug or addictive substance
(including alcohol), causing a thousand times less disease and deaths than alcohol or
tobacco smoking. Stated in this research paper are the reasons and possible effects in
legalizing medical marijuana in the Philippines. It also ought to know the perceptions of
random students in University of Cebu Senior High School Department towards the said
argument. The researchers are to elaborate what is medical marijuana all about.
Keywords: Marijuana, Medical Marijuana, Cannabis, Pot Use

Introduction

National Institute on Drug Abuse ounce for non-medicinal use. In 1970,

defines marijuana also called weed, herb,
pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a
vast number of slang terms- is a greenish-
gray mixture of the dried flowers of
cannabis sativa. People have different
ways in smoking marijuana, bongs, joints,
in pipes, or in blunts. The main
psychoactive chemical in marijuana,
responsible for most of the intoxicating
effects that people seeks, is delta-9-THC.
The chemical is found in resin produced
by the leaves and buds primarily of the
female cannabis plant. The plant contains
more than 100 compounds that are
chemically related to THC, called
cannabinoids. Cannabis has been used for
medical purpose as far back as 3,000
years ago and was introduced to western
medicine in 1839. In 1937, the U.S.
treasury department introduced the
Marijuana Tax Act with a level of $1 per
ounce for medicinal use and $100 per
marijuana were reclassified with the
passage of the Controlled Substances Act,
joining heroin, LSD and methaqualone as
schedule number 1 drugs. In recent years,
various states and territories have
legalized cannabis for medical purpose.
An article about a mom with a sick
child was lately reported and his
medication has something to do with
marijuana as an alternative medicine
since the doctor’s prescribed drugs are
too expensive for them. Our country is
facing a crisis in medication; there are
some disease without cure. Once there
was a TV report about the doctors seeing
chemicals in the plant cannabis that is fit
to cure the said disease. In other
countries that legalize medical marijuana,
peace and order are still obtain. Those
people who needs the plant as a medicine
are given a card that will be the proof of
using it legally.
Marijuana in the Philippines is
controlled by the black market- and the
government has been unsuccessful in
trying to curb its use and distribution.
Many Filipinos have asked to legalize to
legalize the use of medical marijuana, but
as of press time, the lobby has been
unsuccessful. Groups like the Philippine
Cannabis Compassion Society supports
families and parents who is in need of the
alternative. They work on getting their
stories out and use these to convince
legislators that they need access to an
alternative cure, which they see in
cannabis. The successful lobbying of
medical marijuana has encourage 69
house representatives to co-author
HB4477. More and more doctors,
patients, and citizens have come out to
support of it. It has gained enough
momentum that many hope that one day,
the Philippines will become the first Asain
country to legalize the use of medical
marijuana.
However, other countries also
gained bad effect in legalizing medical
marijuana. Otherwise, here in the
Philippines, the senate does still not
approve medical marijuana. Some
lawmakers last December 4, 2018 said
they are open to legalizing medical
marijuana here in our local. Senator Juan
Miguel Zubiri said the substance is used
in treating patients suffering debilitating
conditions, such as epilepsy.
Two years earlier, 70
congressional representatives or 24
percent of the House of Representatives,
endorsed the original medical marijuana
bill, which was revised and is now known
as House bill No. 180, or the Philippine
Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act.
According to SEAN WILLIAMS, 30 out of
195 countries have fully legalize medical
marijuana. A growing number of nation
are waving the green flag on medical
marijuana.
As noted by other researchers,
medical marijuana could influence
recreational use by changing perceived
harmfulness or by changing social
availability an access. However, not all
state laws provided same level access to
marijuana. Early MML has provided legal
protections to patients to use marijuana,
but did not provide the legitimate way for
patients to obtain the marijuana needed.
Although this law may moderate social
norms or the perceived harms of use, they
are less likely to expand social access to
marijuana. In contrast, subsequently
enacted or amended laws that explicitly
permit legal supply through dispensaries
or home cultivation are more likely to
influence recreational use as marijuana
becomes more widely available. Thus, it is
expected that stated with laws allowing a
greater variety and number of legal
access points will have a considerable
larger effect on recreational use that
states with policies that are more
restrictive.
Attaining a reasonable middle
ground on medical marijuana warned
against haste in legalizing it, and instead,
encourage funding research on health
benefits and side effects. Marijuana might
be the most studied plant on earth. As of
published studies and reviews in
scientific literature pertaining to
marijuana and its active compounds.
There are already extensive evidence of
benefits for palliative and compassionate
use by patients with grave illness, the
terminally ill, the elderly, and patients
with AIDS and its potential benefits for
chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma,
anorexia and nausea, seizure disorders,
and myriad of other disease. Even the
church surprisingly has expressed
support on the use of marijuana for
compassionate use (Dr. Castillo).
Studies on the medicinal properties
ofarijuana have implicated the effects as
helpful in treating glaucoma, nausea,
vomiting, chronic pain, inflammation,
epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and more
(Volkow, Baler, Compton, & Weiss, 2014).
Additionally, marijuana use has been
shown to help increase appetite, positive
mood, and promote weight gain in
individuals with cancer, AIDS and other
wasting syndromes (Machado Rocha,
Stéfano, De Cássia Haiek, Rosa Oliveira, &
Da Silveira, 2008; Volkow et al., 2014).
Recreational marijuana users report
reasons for use including the subjective
effects of relaxation, stress reduction,
reflection and introspection, euphoria,
socialization, aphrodisiac properties, and
general enjoyment of life and activities
(Osborne & Fogel, 2008).
One way to predict the is to
examine the outcomes of implementing
medical marijuana. Typically, states with
medical marijuana laws tend to report
higher rates of marijuana use than those
without similar legislation (Cerdá, Wall,
Keyes, Galea, & Hasin, 2012). Despite
higher overall rates of use, Cerdá et al
(2012) found prevalence of marijuana use
disorders in those 12 years and older was
equal across states with and without legal
medical marijuana. Additionally, prior to
and after enacting medical marijuana
legislation, there were no differences
found in prevalence or frequency of
adolescent use (LynneLandsman,
Livingston, & Wagenaar, 2013). This
study also replicated the finding that
states permitting medical marijuana use
had higher overall use both before and
after enacting laws than those without
medical marijuana. Even though there is a
higher prevalence of dependence in
Coloradan adolescents, previous findings
suggest that rate will remain constant
There is one oath that is being
followed by every medical practitioner to
base their duties and obligations to their
patients. This Oath is called the
Hippocratic Oath, named after the Father
of Medicine, Hippocrates from Greece
which is still being held by physicians.
There have been multiple revisions of
this Oath but all of them lead to one
interest; it is to treat a patient with the best
of the physician’s abilities and knowledge.
Under the Oath, the physician is
promised “to continue with diligence in
keeping abreast with the advancement of
medicine”, be that as it may, whenever
there is a possible cure that may be
discovered through the source of anything,
the physician has to use this.
The Oath also contains a statement
mentioning “I will follow that method of
treatment which according to my ability
and judgment I consider for the benefit of
my patient and abstain from whatever is
harmful or mischievous.” In this we can
assume that in relation to medical
marijuana, we can put it in the methods of
treatment. There are many cases to which
medical marijuana has helped lots of
people in curing their own diseases.
So know we raise an issue regarding
the Oath itself, if the main goal of the
physician or medical practitioner is to do
what is best for the patient; then why do
we have a conflicting idea about it with the
law? We can say that this drug is
considered to have a bad reputation due to
the people that use it and their actions, us
researchers try to look at it in another
perspective.
The reason for the legalization of
marijuana is to free the medical
practitioners from doing the things that
they want need to do to their patients. This
frees their will in doing something that
they think that will make criminalize them.
 If you put yourself in their own shoes
and you know that this particular drug can
be a source for their escape of prolonging
suffering, should you be called a criminal
for doing that act and be charged with a
fine and life imprisonment? We think
otherwise.
In their mode of ethics, it can be seen
that the practitioners that will be
conducting this Oath will be subjected to
reliance of knowledge in other experts in
their fields. They will use information and
experiences by skilled and veteran
physicians in regards to what they will be
doing.
According to the Oath, these licensed
practitioners will have to obey the laws,
legal order and decree promulgated by
the Republic of the Philippines. The Code
of being a medical practitioner is limited
to the law itself since there are some
medical duties that cannot be understood
in the perspective of the law-makers but
the medical practitioners only.
This Oath however is backed up by
the 1987 Constitution itself and therefore
cannot be surpassed by mere acts heroic
in trying to save a person’s life. A medical
practitioner has no choice but to relieve
the patient for his suffering if he wishes as
it’s his or her right under the right to life
contained in our supreme law of the land.
The Philippine Medical Association
also describes the mode of conduct that
physicians should be conducting to their
patients. This is more of their ethical
standards in dealing with patients.
Getting the facts straight to a proper
act must be done properly. Thinking about
the pros and cons are the first step to it.
Analyze and weigh out for you to be able to
feel the right thing to do in cases like
treating the patient with medical
marijuana in our study.
This acts as the means in order
for you to follow not just Medical Ethics
but to be able to comply with Human
Ethics. As a fellow human you know the
ups and downs and you are limited to what
you can contribute to the life that you have
been given to take care of.
Through legalization of medical
marijuana, the physician can now be able
to broaden its view in the world of medical
ethics and to do such acts without a boggle
in their mind of illegality of the substance.
Republic Act No. 9165 also known as
“An act instituting the Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, repealing
Republic Act No. 6425, otherwise known
as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, as
amended, providing funds therefore, and
for other purposes” includes the list of
prohibited drugs in the Philippines.
Section 2 of Republic Act 9165 also
known as the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002 states:
Toward this end, the government shall
pursue an intensive and unrelenting
campaign against the trafficking and use of
dangerous drugs and other similar
substances through an integrated system
of planning, implementation and
enforcement of anti-drug abuse policies,
programs, and projects. The government
shall however aim to achieve a balance in
the national drug control program so that
people with legitimate medical needs are
not prevented from being treated with
adequate amounts of appropriate
medications, which include the use of
dangerous drugs.
It is further declared the policy of the
State to provide effective mechanisms or
measures to re-integrate into society
individuals who have fallen victims to drug
abuse or dangerous drug dependence
through sustainable programs of
treatment and rehabilitation.
 Under our National law, dangerous
drugs are deemed and seen as a threat
to the security and safety of our State
and its people. They are seen as
harmful substances that would prove
to be of no benefit to anyone. Hence,
the construction and formulation of
this provision is for the sole purpose of
helping the government in its duty to
maintain and regulate the peace and
order of its territory. This includes the
welfare of our community, and most
especially with regard to the youth.
These substances, so-called
dangerous drugs, have been
stereotyped and commonly known to
cause psychological and physical
damage to all of its users. Somehow,
people have only been provided
information on their negative sides,
but some of these drugs’ other side
always seems to be left out and remain
unknown to common awareness.
‘Dangerous Drugs’ is defined
under Republic Act 9165 as:
(j)
These include opium, heroin,
cocaine, methamphetamine
hydrochloride or "shabu", and other
drugs that have been proven to have
very negative effects and are
extremely detrimental to a person’s
health. The dangerous drugs in
consistence with this law are derived
from a convention under the United
Nations wherein the Philippines is one
of its signatories. However, this
convention does not close its doors to
any possible chances where one of
these drugs may be utilized positively
and used for purposes that may prove
to be helpful and beneficial to a person.
This aspect and perspective in looking
at the concept of these possible helpful
drugs will be discussed in the next
subsections provided herein. One of
these drugs is cannabis or more
popularly known as marijuana. This
drug is defined under Republic Act
9165 as
It is clearly elaborated here that
the Philippine government strictly
stands against the idea of any usage
regarding this matter. It is evident that
the government gives an astoundingly
high penalty and extremely grave
punishment with regards to this,
resulting to its strict prohibition. This
is also exhibited in the case of
People vs. Policarpio, G. R. No. 69844,
February 23, 1988 wherein the
Supreme Court stated that:
It clearly shows here that our
government aims to completely
eradicate all traces and hints of any
sort of dangerous drug, no matter their
effect and the situation and matter in
which they are being used for. They
even resulted to the dealing of the
highest penalty that could be given
because of these dangerous drugs. It
has long been established that
Marijuana has been prohibited
because of fear that it is a possible
threat to a person’s life, security, and
the state’s peacefulness. Nonetheless,
given a situation wherein a physician
suddenly decides to use it in order to
cure a patient who is in a fatal and
critical condition and is in immediate
need of the drug; will the doctor be
held liable and punished for his
actions? Or would his decision to use
marijuana be justified because it was
able to save the life of a patient?
Although it cannot be denied that he
may create a proposition for the use of
this drug, since it is provided for and
supported in the aforementioned
Section 2 of Republic Act 9165. It was
stated that it is the government’s duty
to create “balance in the national drug
control program so that people with
legitimate medical needs are not
prevented from being treated with
adequate amounts of appropriate
medication…” Even so, before anyone
could possibly gain access and
possession of a prohibited drug, one
must first file certain requirements
and then get a certification for it that
would allow its use. Again, what if the
condition of the patient was critical
and between life and death? And only
the immediate use of Marijuana could
save him?
A doctor would still be held liable
for the use of marijuana without any
papers even if it was for a positive
purpose and for medical reasons. But
shouldn’t the preservation of one’s life,
and the bestowal of his right to live, be
enough reason to legalize the use of
medical marijuana? If no person shall
be deprived of life, then a person who
is in immediate need of marijuana
should be allowed its instantaneous
access without any delay.
House Bill 4477 also known as the
Compassionate Use of Medical
Marijuana Bill is a bill that seeks to
legalize and regulate the medical use
of cannabis in compliance with
government policy to balance its
national drug control program and the
regulated use of dangerous drugs for
treatment and medication of patients
with debilitating medical condition
s.
Furthermore, the bill states that
cannabis "has been confirmed to have
beneficial and therapeutic uses to treat
chronic or debilitating disease or
medical condition” that produces
some of the aforementioned diseases
The bill aims to provide a means in
which marijuana may be used in a
controllable way that would possibly
prove to be beneficial and non-
hazardous to the community. Section 2
of this bill provides that:
Toward this end, the State shall
legalize and regulate the medical use
of cannabis which has been confirmed
to have beneficial and therapeutic uses
to treat chronic or debilitating disease
or medical condition that produces
one or more of the following: cachexia
or wasting syndrome; severe and
chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures,
including but not limited to those
characteristic of epilepsy; or severe
and persistent muscle spasms,
including but not limited to those
associated with multiple sclerosis.
The bill also provides safety
measures and qualifications for the
usage of marijuana that may possibly
be effective in helping with the health
of our community. It also provides the
persons who may be exempt from any
civil and criminal liability upon usage
of cannabis in certain situations. There
are also steps provided in its easy
access prescriptions to ensure that it
will not be abused by those who are
not really in need, but at the same time,
it can be accessed to those who are
really in need of it for their conditions
or sicknesses.
The Compassionate Use of Medical
Marijuana Bill also establishes
verifications and registry in order to
claim the legal use of marijuana. This,
along with its additional provisions on
its certain prohibitions and
restrictions with regard to certain acts,
may allow a harmony in its factors on
why it should be illegal yet strictly
regulated. These prohibited acts along
with their corresponding penalties
and punishments are stated in Section
25 and Section 26 of this bill wherein it
is provided that:
This bill is dedicated to those who
are truly in need of it and those who
have conditions which cannot be cured
through any other means. It also
deems marijuana to have certain
curing effects that cannot be found in
other medicine. Hence, as Isabela 1st
 District Representative Rodolfo
Albano III claims that:
“The bill intends "to provide
accessible, affordable, safe medical
cannabis to qualifying patients."
The Medical Act of 1959 or Republic
Act No. 2382 is an act that supervises the
practice of medicine in the country. This
act also regulates the medical education,
and examination for registration of
physicians. In Section 6 of this act, a
medical student is required to take a
subject of “Legal Medicine, including
Medical Jurisprudence and Ethics.”
Provided, that the Board is hereby
authorized to modify or add to the subjects
listed above as the needs and demands of
progress in the medical profession may
require.
Medical Jurisprudence is defined as
the branch of science and medicine
involving the study of scientific and
medical knowledge to legal problems. It is
also involved with medical, legal, and
ethical issues.
This means that before the student
becomes a professional, he/she must
know first the rights, duties and
obligations under the law of medicine.
After the student achieves the degree
of Doctor of Medicine, he must pass the
board examination in order to become a
medical practitioner.
A medical practitioner is defined as
one who is lawfully engaged in the practice
of medicine. He/she has a right to
prescribe any dangerous or poisonous
drugs in the good faith of patient while
treating his patient.
The Constitution is the law of the
land and everyone must follow it. A
licensed practitioner is also a citizen of a
state and therefore he/she must also obey
the law. As stated in the Section 3 of the
Civil Code of the Philippines state that:
“Article 3. Ignorance of the law excuses
no one from compliance therewith.”
The privilege of being a licensed
practitioner may be taken away when one
disobeys the Section 24 of the Medical Act
which states:
Refusal of a physician to attend a
patient in danger of death is not a
sufficient ground for revocation or
suspension of his registration certificate if
there is a risk to the physician's life.”
These provisions embrace one of the
issues that encouraged the proponents to
study: what if the doctor will not use
marijuana to treat his patient because the
drug is illegal here in the Philippines.
Furthermore, if marijuana was legal, it
has a high possibility that it could be
provided for a very cheap and affordable
price. Many unfortunate people cannot
come up with ways to cure a member’s
chronic illness or debilitating medical
condition simply because they do not have
enough money that is needed in order for
them to be able to provide the proper
medicine. Thousands die each year
because of the lack of money resulting to
the inability of buying proper medicine. If
there is a hint of possibility that a cheaper,
more accessible alternative can be used for
the same beneficial effects, then why
should it be made illegal and immoral?
If life, liberty, and security are the main
reason for having laws, then assurance of
proper care along with the proper
medicine should be consistent with it.
Cannabis has been proven to cure such
debilitating medical conditions under the
right circumstances, so if it could serve as
a much cheaper alternative to other
medicines that are difficult to get hold of,
then it should just be regulated like any
other medicine. Why should its proven culture that nurtures the employee’s
positive effects be kept from the public if productivity and engagement.
these effects, in a way, could possibly
secure a person’s right to life and welfare? The target informants will be randomly
pick. Regardless to their age, gender,
strand, and social status. As long as they
Materials and Methods are willing to be our informants and
The study will utilize phenomenology participant if asked. The questioner is
design. Stanford Encyclopedia of composed of two categories; the first
Philosophy defines phenomenology as the contains the personal information of the
study of students of consciousness as participants while the second category
experienced from the first person of view. encompasses questions about their views
Springer also defines phenomenology as and knowledge about the study. Different
the study of human experience and of the structures utilized with the same
way thing present themselves to us in and intention; to know if they are on the
through such experience. Phenomenology positive or negative side, to be aware of
is the study of consciousness as their views and opinions about the study,
experienced from the first person point of to know how wide their knowledge about
views. While Meriam Webster states that the said argument.
phenomenology is the study of
development of human consciousness and 1. Send a permission letter of the
self-awareness as a preface to or a part of principal office to conduct our
philosophy, describes the formal survey here in UC-MC SHS Dept.
structure of objects of awareness and of 2. Select random people in the
awareness itself in abstraction form any campus to be the participants of
claims concerning existence. the study
3. Set a schedule for the actual
The study will be conducted at UC-MC interview.
SHS Department, located at J, Alcantara 4. Analyze the perceptions of the
Street Cebu City. The said settings informants.
consists of 10 floors with 120 rooms and
2 elevators. University of Cebu’s vision is Results
to democratize quality education, be the
visionary and industry leader. Give hope
and transform lives. In addition, the
mission of the school is that they offers
affordable and quality education,
responsive to the demands of local and
international communities. University of
Cebu commits itself to; Serve as an active
catalyst in providing efficient delivery of
educational services; Pursue excellence in
instruction, research and community
service towards social economic
development as well as environmental
sustainability; Acquire, disseminate and
utilize appropriate technology to enhance
the university’s educational services.
Moreover. Foster an organizational