A hurdled growth of medical cannabis
In an alley late at night in an undisclosed location in Metro Manila, Junnard lights a pipe filled with hash from his stash hidden in his dorm. Unlike most recreational users, he says he does it to soothe his anxiety attacks and anger management problems.
A 3rd year university student, Junnard prefers to use this kind of medication as opposed to antidepressants prescribed by his doctor on the account of antidepressants giving him trouble sleeping at night, as well as making him irritable and agitated.
“People don’t know the calming effect of marijuana [that] it doesn’t make you angry or violent unlike other drugs, it is a completely different effect. All you get when taking marijuana is [being] relaxed and hungry that makes you eat a lot.” Junnard, whose real name has been changed to protect his identity, explained.
Junnard firmly believes that marijuana - which is made up of dried cannabis leaves and flowers - is able to help him to a more safer and economical extent than the ones prescribed by pharmaceutical companies.
On September, Congress approved the draft committee report on a bill that will substitute House Bill Number 180 titled, “An Act Providing compassionate and right of access to medical cannabis and expanding research into its medicinal properties.”
Isabela 1st District Representative Rodolfo Albano III proposed on June 30 the bill that legalizes the use of cannabis or marijuana for medical purposes which patients and doctors may utilize for their own use.
As explained on the House Bill 180 or the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Bill, marijuana is a plant that may be used to cure diseases that causes a person to have seizures.
But prominent members of both congress and senate have been adamant in stating that marijuana should not be cultivated or even put in the same sentence as “medicine.”
“Medical marijuana should be weeded out because there is a big chance it could turn the country into a “nation of zombies,” Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said
The bill lists a number of benefits which can be acquired from the plant dating back to the ancient times. It also includes a list of countries and states in the United States that have approved the use of the said plant which removed criminal sanctions for the medical use of cannabis.
As in lined with Section 11 of the Philippine Constitution which states the policy of the state to adopt an intensive and comprehensive approach to health development that should be made available at an affordable cost for the public.
According to the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, marijuana is classified as under the list of dangerous drugs but as indicated on Section 2 of the same law, that the government must achieve a balance in the national drug problem so that those with legitimate medical needs are not prevented from acquiring the appropriate medications.
Also, as stated in the bill that the government may create “medical cannabis compassionate centers (MCCC)” or entities that are “registered with the Department of Health (DOH) and are licensed to acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, sell, supply, and dispense cannabis, and devises or related supplies and education materials to registered qualifying patients.”
Lastly, the bill is not in any manner advocating the authorization of this plant for anything other than its medical use. Through this controlled measures and regulations for the medical use of cannabis or marijuana is assured for the patient’s safety and the bill’s efficiency.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) classifies marijuana as a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa.
As part of its mandate to study drug abuse and addiction and other health effects of both legal and illegal drugs, NIDA funds a wide range of research on marijuana (cannabis); its main psychotropic ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and chemicals related to THC (cannabinoids), including:
Patterns and trends in marijuana use and attitudes, particularly among adolescents
Short- and medium-term effects of THC on the brain and behavior; driving under the influence of cannabis; and genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that mediate marijuana’s effects
Long-term effects of prenatal and adolescent cannabis exposure on brain development
Development and impact assessment of prevention programs on marijuana use
Screening and brief assessment for cannabis use disorder
Medications, mHealth, and behavioral treatments for cannabis use disorder
Function of the brain’s endocannabinoid system, including its role in pain, mental illness, and HIV
Potential therapeutic uses of THC and other cannabinoids in treatment of pain, HIV, addiction, and other health conditions
Social, behavioral, and public health and safety impacts of policy changes related to marijuana (i.e., “medical marijuana” and recreational legalization)
As stated in the National Institute on Health (NIH), some studies utilize the whole marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa), but usually focus on the individual cannabinoid compounds. Individual cannabinoid chemicals may be isolated and purified from the marijuana plant or synthesized in a laboratory. Cannabinoids are classified here as:
Phytocannabinoids – cannabinoids found in leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds collected from the Cannabis sativa plant.
Endogenous – cannabinoids made by the body.
Purified naturally occurring cannabinoids purified from plant sources
Synthetic cannabinoids synthesized in a laboratory
Marijuana is illegal in the Philippines
It the Philippines, The Dangerous Drugs Act Of 1972 or Republic Act No. 9165 states that the usage of marijuana in the country is illegal.
Article I Section 3 states that:
Cannabis or commonly known as “Marijuana” or “Indian Hemp” or by its any other name–embraces every kind, class, genus, or specie of the plant Cannabis sativa L. including, but not limited to, Cannabis americana, hashish, bhang, guaza, churrus and ganjab. It embraces every kind, class and character of marijuana, whether dried or fresh and flowering, flowering or fruiting tops, or any part or portion of the plant.
Regarding the possession of Dangerous Drugs in Article II Section 11, it was further stated that, “The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall possess any dangerous drug.”
Obtaining 10 grams or more of marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil, and 500 grams or more of marijuana, are already punishable by law.
In Article II Section 16, which talks about Cultivation or Culture of Plants Classified as Dangerous Drugs or Are Sources Thereof, it was also stated that any person who shall plant, cultivate or culture marijuana, shall be penalized of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00).
It was found that in 2015, the Dangerous Drugs Board estimated, based on admission data in drug rehabilitation centers, that around 25% of center clients used marijuana. In the first seven months of 2015, PDEA reported conducting 22 successful cannabis eradication operations, resulting in the destruction of 117 growing sites and the seizure of cannabis valued at approximately 3.5 million USD. In 2016, PDEA eradicated a total of 337 marijuana sites.
Yet, since this plant is said to contain chemicals that could help treat various illnesses and symptoms of the chronic diseases that it could relieve are cancer and multiple sclerosis, there have been demonstrations to indicate that cannabis or marijuana should be legal for medical purposes.
People have used marijuana, also called cannabis, for a variety of health conditions for at least 3,000 years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t found that marijuana is safe or effective for treating any health problems. However, some states and the District of Columbia allow its use for certain health purposes.
The United States of America (U.S.A.) have legalized medical marijuana because of decisions made by voters or legislators—not because of scientific evidence of its benefits and risks.
The proponent
Isabela 1st District Representative Rodolfo Albano III proposed for House Bill 180, “An Act providing compassionate and right of access to medical cannabis and expanding research into its medicinal properties,” or the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Bill, which stated that there will be establishments of medical cannabis compassionate centers (MCCC) that will be “registered with the Department of Health (DOH) and licensed to acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, sell, supply, and dispense cannabis, devises or related supplies and education materials to registered qualifying patients.”
Albano believes that there have been research done in Israel, Spain, other parts of Europe and the United States attesting to the medicinal benefits of marijuana and the bill seeks to allow the use of medical marijuana for those suffering from diseases like epilepsy under strict regulation by the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.
There will also be an establishment of medical cannabis safety compliance facilities (MCSCF) that will be “registered with the DOH that conduct scientific and medical research on medical use of cannabis and provide testing services for its potency and contaminants relative to its safe and efficient use, cultivation, harvesting, packaging, labelling, distribution and proper security.”
With the debatable issue on the passing of this bill, a number of supporters have expressed their side on the matter.
70 congressmen or 24 percent of the House of Representatives agreed to endorse the revised version of the original medical marijuana bill that is now known as House Bill 180.
The Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society (PCCS) is an organization of marijuana advocates composed mostly of patients and parents of children who wants to have access to medical marijuana.
Newly appointed health secretary Francisco Duque III has expressed that he is open to the use of medical cannabis solely for research purposes in its pharmaceutical form.
In a press conference, he said that medical cannabis can be utilized in 2 ways which is for research and the other is for medical benefits especially for those that are unresponsive to traditional modes of treatment.
Dr. Jorge Ignacio, chair of the Philippine General Hospital’s Cancer Institute, also expressed his support by appealing to his colleagues in a press briefing held by the Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society in San Juan City to realize the large scope that the bill holds specifically in the cases of cancer and epileptic patients who are still waiting for alternative treatments that can aid in their treatment.
Ignacio also challenged the heads of various medical societies to “leave their comfort zones” and “old perception” of the plant marijuana expressing the cannabinoids, which is a component found in medical marijuana, helps to suppress the pain especially in terminally ill patients that experience seizures.
One of the bill’s most vocal supporters, Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan said that previous studies have been made regarding the effectiveness of cannabis oils which are protective of the brain and the nerve.
On the other hand, President Rodrigo Duterte also expressed his support for medical marijuana but also said that he would push for a stricter regulation which will ensure that it would only be offered to those who really need it and not merely for recreational use.
“Medicinal marijuana, yes, because it is really an ingredient of modern medicine,” he replied when asked during an interview by a TV reporter regarding his comment on the subject.
Advocates such as Kimmi del Prado, the founder of the Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society (PCCS) found hope in the statements of President Duterte on the issue as more people are opening up to the possibility of using this plant.
The oppositions
Strong opposition to the controversial “Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act” include Senators Vicente Sotto, Gregorio Honasan, and Sherwin Gatchalian, saying the interpretation of compassionate use could be abused.
The University of the Philippines Manila in a statement expressed its fiercest objection to the proposals to legalize medical cannabis.
The university stressed that cultivation of marijuana outside the regulation and implementing guidelines of the Dangerous Drugs Board is “unacceptable” as this would lead to diversion of cannabis for recreational use.
Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza has been the bill’s leading opposition stating on December 2 that the passage of the proposed Act will weaken President Duterte’s War on Drugs.
"Mr. President, the campaign [against illegal drugs] will be undermined, it will lose speed, it will lose credibility, 'pag pinirmahan mo 'yang batas na 'yan. Ibig sabihin hindi totoo 'yang kampanya n'yo," Atienza said in "The Truth About Marijuana" forum at the University of the Philippines-Manila.
National Poison Management and Control Center head Dr. Carissa Dioquino-Maligaso said, “[Tumulong] tayo sa masusing pag-aaral tungkol sa paggamit ng marijuana bilang gamot, pero sa palagay namin, hindi kailangan ang batas para gawin ito.”
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in an article by Philippine Star said he supports the use of cannabis for selected medical cases but agreed that security measures must be in place to prevent abuse.
Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, classifies marijuana as a dangerous substance.
However, marijuana has been found to be effective in relieving symptoms of multiple diseases. In US, more and more states are passing laws that allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes mainly for alleviating pain from headaches, or cancer, even long-term conditions like glaucoma or nerve pain.
Supporting the bill despite the odds
Junnard, said that the Philippines lack knowledge due to false information from past information from the past.
“Being branded along with other [dangerous] drugs [that] makes it difficult to exclude [marijuana],” he said in an interview with The Fourth.
Being a user for four years, he added that the effects of marijuana are unlike those of the drugs that are branded as dangerous especially to the health and mentally of a person.
Despite much opposition to the said bill, Junnard believes that deviating from the norm of orthodox modalities of treatment can open a lot of opportunities for the country not just in the matters of health but also in the aspect of economics.
“[Legalizing marijuana] will open up more job opportunities like for the farmers being allowed to plant and make a living from it and for the stores or coffee shops where the product can be purchased. The tax collected can contribute to building other infrastructures especially for schools,” he said.
Junnard thinks it will be hard to fully implement the bill considering that most people have already established a bad perception of marijuana.
“Many [people] will say it’s not a good thing because that’s what they know [and] we can’t blame them.”— With reports from Lorraine Lazaro, Alecs Tubiera and Giselle Ombay
