Atienza: Medical marijuana can lead to abuse, public health emergency

Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza on Sunday urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to "throw out" the bill legalizing medical marijuana, noting that it could cause abuse and addiction.

In a press statement, Atienza cited that the case in America, where there is a supposed abuse of opioids, could also happen in the Philippines. The incident prompted President Donald Trump to declare a public health emergency over the increasing misuse and addiction of it.

“What is happening now in America, which is reeling from the widespread abuse of opioids, is guaranteed to happen here once we allow medical marijuana to be prescribed by Filipino physicians,” Atienza said.

“The measure will create new demand for marijuana. And when there is demand, supply will come in. Even our farmers will start cultivating marijuana, since they will be assured of a lucrative market by a rapidly growing number of addicts,” he added. 

In September, the House Committee on Health has approved a bill seeking to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The objective of the bill, authored by Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano, is to legalize and regulate the medical use of cannabis, found to have beneficial and therapeutic uses in treating chronic or debilitating medical conditions.

Atienza pointed out that even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected the medical marijuana as it "does not meet the criteria for currently accepted medical use in treatment, that there is a lack of accepted safety for its use under medical supervision, and that it has a high potential for abuse."

The lawmaker said the Bureau of Food and Drugs tends to follow the standards of the US FDA.

Atienza added that the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) is also not in favor of the passage of the bill, saying that it opposes the country's policy to protect the well-being of the citizens.

On the other hand, newly reappointed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday expressed his reservations on the use of medical marijuana.

He said that he will study carefully the science behind the measure, citing both its palliative benefits and its possible political implications. —Anna Felicia Bajo/LBG, GMA News