It can be used to improve education, improve health care, develop the justice system, help the poor, pay the country's debt, and strengthen unfunded government programs. In recent years, there have been substantial changes in cultural attitudes towards marijuana for medical and recreational use. Potential issues with the approval, production, dispensing, route of administration, and adverse health effects of medical and recreational marijuana are reviewed. Medical marijuana must be subject to the same rigorous approval process as other drugs prescribed by doctors.
The legalization of recreational marijuana can have negative effects on public health. Before a patient can be prescribed marijuana, it is necessary for a licensed physician to provide a full evaluation of the patient's medical history. Meanwhile, former Secretary of Health Jaime Gálvez Tan is in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. At the forefront of the fight to legalize medical marijuana is the Philippine Society for Compassion for Cannabis (PCCS).
However, there is no high-quality evidence that the drug reduces non-neuropathic pain; this remains an indication of what sufficient data to justify the risks of medical marijuana is lacking. A pro-medical marijuana NGO called the Philippine Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (PORMAL) seeks to challenge the law to legalize its use, however, there is opposition from both the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and senators such as Vicente Sotto III. However, the ways in which medical marijuana has been approved, prescribed, and made available to the public are very different from other commercially available prescription drugs. MANILA — United Team Senate candidate Harry Roque is in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Unlike any other prescription drug used for medical purposes, marijuana is not subject to central regulatory oversight. The potential benefits and significant risks associated with marijuana use should be taught in medical schools and residency programs across the country. Recent data from Colorado shows that 94% of patients with medical marijuana cards received them for the treatment of “severe pain.” Marijuana is the only “drug” that is smoked, and while it is not yet fully understood, there are legitimate concerns about the long-term effects of marijuana smoke on the lungs. If the new law is passed, only these centers, medical marijuana patients and caregivers will be exempt from civil and criminal liability.
Data that has tracked adolescent perception of risk and use of marijuana for decades clearly show an inverse relationship; as adolescent perception of risk decreases, marijuana use increases. Despite studies showing that marijuana has medicinal benefits, the Philippine Department of Health does not support the legalization of marijuana in the country.
