Legalization of Marijuana

A Position Paper by Angel Kate T. Ningasca

Marijuana has been one of the most pressing and controversial issue nowadays. By
definition, it is a drug that comes from a marijuana plant that is commonly found on the streets
(Davis, 2021). The use of marijuana has long been debated by health-care professionals and
citizens because of the benefits that it gives to people. According to FDA, marijuana has a high
potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States,
and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision (DFAA, n.d.). Marijuana
should not be legalized because it can give more detrimental effects not only to the health of an
individual, but the society as well. In the Philippines, most people oppose on its legalization
because it will only be used for recreational purposes and livelihood, which will endanger the
lives of the citizens.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), American Medical Association (AMA), and most
national medical associations oppose to the use of marijuana as a medicine due to the lack of
research that could prove its effectiveness and benefits in treating diseases. In the Philippines,
lawmakers have been trying to pass House Bill No. 6517, also called as Philippine
Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, which allows the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes. However, this was opposed by the Senate because of the detrimental effects it may
cause to the country. The legalization of the said plant has a high potential of abuse, especially
in the current state of the country, where drug users and sellers are still being haunt by
President Duterte’s War on Drugs campaign. With that being said, the legalization of marijuana
should be opposed as this may only worsen the economic, political, and social well-being of the
society.
According to Cherney (2020), it serves as a pain management for patients who have
arthritis, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and migraine. The cannabinoids that marijuana contains
play a critical role in pain reduction by changing pain perception circuits in the brain (Cherney,
2020). In recent years, few research studies claim that marijuana has been helpful in decreasing
nausea, stimulate appetite, and pain (DFAA, n.d.). but the fact that the statistics tells that the
use of marijuana has a high potential for abuse and has a lack of accepted safety for use under
medical supervision, the legalization of marijuana should be opposed as this may only worsen
the economic, political, and social well-being of the society.
As a woman, student, a citizen who lives normally, my stand in this argument whether
marijuana should be legalize in the use for medicine or not, is a No. improper and unregulated
use of marijuana may only lead in worsening the economic, political, and social well being of the
community. Use of marijuana also leads to poorer mental health, poorer physical health, more
relationship problems, and less academic and career success (NIDA 2019).
Marijuana has undeniably beneficial effects to the patients who are going through a
disorder, illnesses, and diseases. However, its legalization should still be reviewed and
researched by scientists and health care professionals to prove its effectiveness and potency in
curing medical illnesses. In the Philippines, the legalization of said medicine is not yet feasible
citing the numbers of drug users and sellers caught by Duterte’s War on Drugs campaign.
References:
Charney, K. (2020). What Are The Benefits of Marijuana?
https://www.healthline.com/health/medical-marijuana/benefits-of-marijuana#risks
Davis, C. (2021). Medical Definition of Marijuana.
https://www.medicinenet.com/marijuana/definition.htm
DFFA. (n.d.). MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE: A Position Paper of Drug-Free Action Alliance and
the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association of Ohio.
https://preventionactionalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DFAA-Position-
Marijuana.pdf
Hechanova, E. (2021). Philippines: Cannabis bills likely to be indefinitely postponed.
https://www.managingip.com/article/b1s0mj8vlw92sz/philippines-cannabis-bills-likely-to-
be indefinitely-postponed
NIDA. 2019, December 24. Marijuana DrugFacts. Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana on 2021, October 4