Medical Marijuana Legalization: Swings and Roundabouts

By: Sarah Bitgue

“It is not good to have too much of anything.”- Andrew Clements

Legalization of medical marijuana has aroused the interest of the Filipino people
in the recent years and now it is gaining more and more attention than ever. House Bill
6517 or the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act has been already
approved in third and final reading in the House of Representatives, will it be stopped on
its way to become a law? Or will medical marijuana finally be legalized in the
Philippines?

Marijuana or cannabis is the most commonly abused illegal substance

worldwide. Despite the claims that it can be consumed for medical purposes, like for
patients with nausea or poor appetite associated with AIDS or cancer treatment, and its
legalization in a number of states in the U.S., possession of marijuana, regardless of its
purpose, is still illegal in most jurisdictions. The aforementioned bill, authored by Isabela
Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, seeks to legalize and regulate marijuana for medical purposes
in the Philippines. According to Albano, the regulation of “controlled substances” for
medical purposes underwent exhaustive consultations with patients, advocacy groups,
health care practitioners, and experts.

Studies have shown that pharmaceutical cannabis is effective in relieving the

spasticity of the muscles associated with multiple sclerosis and paralysis. It can also
relieve certain types of chronic pain, including neuropathic pain. As provided under HB
6517, only doctors licensed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency can prescribe
the use of medical marijuana for qualified patients diagnosed with a debilitating medical
condition, who will receive therapeutic or palliative benefits. It also states that medical
cannabis will only be accessed from accredited hospitals, as well as Medical Cannabis
Compassionate Centers that will be established throughout the country. There will also
be special identification cards issued by the Department of Health Secretary to the
licensed medical cannabis caregivers and patients. Albano said that marijuana would
not be administered in its raw form but only cannabis oil extracted from the plant. The
bill makes it clear that cannabis cannot be sold over the counter.

However, for every person who advocates for the legalization of marijuana for
medicinal purposes, there is another who argues against it. Such counterarguments
include: frequent or too much marijuana use can seriously affect short-term memory
and impair cognitive ability, expert reviews of current research state that scientific
evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of marijuana to treat certain conditions remain
limited, and marijuana carries a risk of abuse and addiction. Senate President Vicente
Sotto III believes that there is no need to pass the bill because the Food and Drug
Administration already has guidelines for issuing “compassionate special permits.”

With the current status of law implementation in the Philippines, it is indeed very
risky to pass the bill for legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes into law as it is
prone to be used by those involved in the narcotics trade as an excuse to further
expand their business. Even President Rodrigo Duterte who originally favored the
regulated medical use of marijuana has backtracked on his opinion about the issue and
said that he does not intend to legalize it.

There are always two sides to a coin—one has the positive aspects while the
other has the negative ones. The legalization of marijuana for medical use has the
potential to save many lives for those who desperately need it for the treatment of their
illnesses. However, if not regulated strictly by the government, it can worsen the drug
trade in our country and put people’s lives at risk too. The Philippine Compassionate
Medical Cannabis Act can be a double-edged sword if it makes its way to become a law
and be implemented.

However, sad to say for the supporters of the bill but President Duterte firmly
rejected its passage saying that he would not legalize marijuana in the country within his
term and Albano admitted surrendering to the possibility of his bill not being enacted
within the current administration.