AFTER the House of Representatives approved on final reading the legalization and regulation of the medical use of cannabis or marijuana, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III expressed his support for the decision of the lawmakers for as long as there is an emphasis on the regulatory aspect of the bill.
House Bill 6517, or the Act Providing Compassionate and Right of Access to Medical Cannabis and Expanding Research into its Medicinal Properties and for Other Purposes, was approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives on January 29.
Duque said using medical marijuana for research purposes is already allowed by the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The medical cannabis is intended only for patients suffering from terminal illness or specific conditions such as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids), cancer and its debilitating effects, anorexia, severe nausea, seizure for epileptic conditions, and other life-threatening conditions.
“Ang sa atin lang, ang napakahalaga dito ay hindi maabuso, ngunit bago natin pag-usapan ang issue ng potential abuse, gusto ko lang linawin na ang medical cannabis na gagamitin para sa mga condition na aking nabanggit ay dalawa ang components (The important thing is that this bill will not be abused, but before we talk about abuse, I just want to make it clear that the medical cannabis that will be used in the mentioned conditions has two components),” he said.
These components are the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which has psychoactive properties that affect the brain, which gives a “high” effect to an individual and the other one is cannabidiol (CBD) which has oil, a substance that is non-psychoactive and has medical benefits.
“It cannot be over-the-counter, it has to be a regulated through a regulated prescription form,” he said.
He said that passing a law is easy but the challenging part lies in the enforcement. There must also be a clear study on the benefits of marijuana for medical use.
“The DOH, this is a health measure and therefore it is incumbent upon the lawmakers to ensure DOH is part and parcel of the formulation of its implementing rules and regulation,” the Health official said.