Legalization of Marijuana in the Philippines

Also globally realized for its medical and recreational use for individuals suffering
from certain ailments with the support from multiple respectable individuals, Marijuana
(or otherwise known as chongke in the Philippines and its scientific name cannabis) is
also an addictive drug that will mostly drive an individual to shambles and is mostly
done with only pleasure putting into mind the general perspective of our country.

One claim is that Marijuana has negative effects on a person’s cognitive and
neurological health as it goes straight for the nervous system in accordance to its
chemical make up as a drug. Based from medical organizations like Philippine Medical
Association (PMA), The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Child Neurology
Society of the Philippines, Group of Addiction Psychiatry of the Philippines, Pain Society
of the Philippines, Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine League Against
Epilepsy, Inc., Philippine Neurological Association, Philippine Society of Clinical and
Occupational Toxicology (PSCOT) and UP-PGH National Poison Management and
Control Center ( NPMCC ) said that they are opposed with the House Bill 6517 or
“Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act” because the bill will only show the
natural, uncontrolled, and human experiment with cannabis. They also claim that the
drug’s efficacy and protection for some conditions are still didn’t reach the medical
checks and tests. In relation to this, the American Academy of Neurology's (AAN)
Guideline Development Subcommittee (2014) conducted a systematic review on the
efficacy and safety of medical marijuana on selected neurologic disorders— Multiple
Sclerosis (MS), Epilepsy and movement disorders. Their study consisted of
observations using different cannabinoids and the results have shown either uncertainty
or inconsistency on Marijuana's efficacy. While the safety and effects of marijuana use
to Neurologic Accumbens (NAcc)— part of the brain that functions for 'reward circuit'
and is responsible for the dopamine level released— was investigated by JAMA
Psychiatry (2016). Their findings indicated that "marijuana use is associated with
decreased neural response in the NAcc during the anticipation of nondrug rewards.
Over time, marijuana use may alter anticipatory reward processing in the NAcc, which
may increase the risk for continued drug use and later addiction."

In respect of the individuals supporting the legalization of marijuana, former Health

Secretary Jaime Galvez Tan was in favor the legalization of medical marijuana. He
stated that there are lot of people suffering from epilepsy and different neurological
disorders in the Philippines. He also added “the drug improves the quality of patient’s
life because it has been validated to be effective in pain management”. He said that it is
better than morphine which is already legally prescribe by doctors but the effects on the
patients are non-interactive, drowsy and sleepy. There are also some clinical trials that
saw the potential of marijuana to help people with anxiety, prevention from cancer,
control of muscles spasms and tremors.

To prove that even if it can help certain people when it comes to neurological
disorders, it still stands as a drug that is not thoroughly studied and proved of its
medical uses, in short, untrusted. According to the PMA (2017) the alleged efficacy and
safety of Cannabis for medicinal purposes in the treatment of various medical conditions
is still being tested. The evidences found are still insufficient for the treatment of patients
for specific medical indications. Also, the medical community is practicing “primum non
nocere” (meaning first, to do no harm).

Another claim is that marijuana is not an all-around medical drug, as it has two
forms, raw and medical. The ones that are currently at use in the Philippines (not
explicitly pointing out the country) is majorly extracted from its medical components. The
former Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, disagreed in legalizing marijuana for medical
purposes. But when the patient was really in need of it, they can ask an exclusive Food
and Drug (FDA) permit that allows to drug and drug treatments that are not registered
for humane use in the Philippines. (Ubial,2016) “That it would be up to the lawmakers
whether to legalize or not to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. It has its medical
uses but not in its raw form. The ones allowed are those that have already been
extracted of its medical components”.

Our final claim is the fact that marijuana cannot be easily regulated in terms of our
country’s hold on security. Since it’s a drug, recreational use of other individuals may
lead to addiction. Once marijuana is legalized, there is no possibility of regulating it.
There is a need to distinguish between the ill and the criminals, which can only be done
by this bill, but it all go to waste because of the corrupt implementation of the laws.
"The question should not be whether marijuana is good or bad, but rather, how can we
control it? What is the best strategy to save lives?" (Cocabo, 2018).

In conclusion, considering the respectable amounts of evidence presented by

various medical organizations in the Philippines, we are therefore equipped with the
knowledge that our country is not yet ready for cannabis legalization, whether it be
recreational or medical. We still need adequate evidence that will prove its efficacy.
Since it is considered as drugs and has a lot of side effects to persons body be it
psychological and physiological, it is still untrusted. As well as that Drug addiction has
been a lingering problem in our country currently our government administration, it
further strays from the path of legalization. Also taking into consideration that there are
indeed individuals whom need marijuana for medical purposes, it’s not efficient to
legalize it for public use in the Philippines. There are still many factors to be considered
whether medical marijuana must be legalized or not, and it is promptly advised that we
should further study its effects for us to know where we should really stand in this
matter.
References: Abarca, Maria Theresa M., Edrada, Angel Princess A., Galela, Margaus
Marjorie A., 2019. Legalization of Marijuana as a Medical Drug: The Standpoints of
Different Sectors in the Philippines.

Koppel, Barbara S., John C. M. Brust, Terry Fife, and Jeff Bronstein. 2014. Systematic
Review: Efficacy and Safety of Medical Marijuana on Selected Neurologic Disorders.
Retrieved October 2019 (DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000363).

Martz, Meghan E., Elisa M. Truco, and Lora M. Cope. 2016. Association of Marijuana
Use With Blunted Nucleus Accumbent Response to Reward Anticipation. Retrieved
October 2019 (doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1161).

Philippine Medical Association. 2017. “Position Statement Of The Medical Community

On HB6517” Quezon City, PH: Philippine Medical Association. Retrieved October 11,
2019 (https://www.philippinemedicalassociation.org/position-statement-of-the-medical-
community-on-hb6517/)

Philippine General Hospital Neurosciences. 2017. “UP-PGH Department of

Neurosciences Opposes Medical Cannabis Legalization” Manila, PH: Philippine General
Hospital Neurosciences. Retrieved October 11, 2019
(https://www.pghneuro.com/single-post/2017/11/09/The-UP-Manila-Position-Statement-
on-Medical-Cannabis-Legalization)