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The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Saturday it supports the proposed measure allowing the medical use of marijuana provided that safeguards are set up.
In a statement, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the agency supports the intention and purpose behind House Bill No. 180, or "An Act Providing Compassionate and Right of Access to Medical Cannabis and Expanding Research Into Its Medicinal Properties."
"PDEA supports the intention and purpose behind the proposed bill. The Agency recognizes the need of patients to have access to safe, affordable, available medical cannabis prescribed by registered physicians in cases where cannabis has been found to be effective in the prevention, treatment and management of chronic or debilitating health conditions," Aquino said.
The PDEA, meanwhile, proposed amendments to the bill to ensure that marijuana will not be used for recreational purposes.
PDEA listed the following recommendations:
- Definition of the terms marijuana and cannabis is recommended to be included in the bill's Definition of Terms.
Marijuana is a term used to describe all plant parts of Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis sativa forma indica, and Cannabis ruderalis, namely, leaves, fruiting tops, stems, flowers, and roots.
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among several other names, is a preparation of the cannabis plant (scientific name: Cannabis Sativa) intended for use as psychoactive drug or medicine;
- The PDEA also recommended that the proposed bill be very specific and only legalize the use of tablet or capsule preparations of the medicinal component of cannabis and not cannabis per se;
- In Section 6 of the bill, PDEA proposes to amend paragraph b to read as: proof of bona fide relationship with the patient. The Agency believes that in order for a physician to be competent to certify a patient's medical need to use cannabis, he/she must show proof that he/she has a bona fide relationship with the patient; and
- In Section 26 of the bill, it is more prudent to include a statement that "cultivation, possession, use, sale, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of cannabis not in accordance with the provisions of the Act shall be deemed a violation of Republic Act 9165, Otherwise Known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Aquino also reminded that under existing laws, the sale and use of marijuana is still illegal.
"But as of the moment, the fact remains that under existing Philippine laws, marijuana is a dangerous drug whose cultivation, sale and use are strictly prohibited. PDEA will continue to enforce the law and enjoin the public to abide by the law," he said. —Jessica Bartolome/ALG, GMA News