Parents to Senate: Pass law for swift access to affordable medical cannabis

A group of parents advocating for the legalization of medical marijuana asked a Senate panel on Wednesday to pass a law that will give them easier access to affordable cannabis products without the risk of getting jailed.

Dr. Donnabel Trias-Cunanan, president and spokesperson of Cannahopefuls Inc., spoke before the Senate Subcommittee on Health and Demography, which tackled Senate Bill 230 or An Act Granting Access to Medical Cannabis as a Compassionate Alternative Means of Medical Treatment.

Cunanan has been advocating for the medical use of cannabis since 2013, after her child was diagnosed with an intractable form of epilepsy, global developmental delay, and cerebral palsy.

She narrated before the panel the tedious process of applying for a compassionate special permit so they could purchase and ship medical cannabis, which she said can help with her child's seizures.

They had tried seven to eight epileptic drugs but nothing worked, she added.

"Nais ko pong ipaalam sa inyo sa lahat nang andito na ang compassionate special permit is not compassionate at all," she said.

"Unang-una po napakahirap ng proseso ng pag-aapply nito. Kinailangan ko pong dumaan sa butas ng karayom. Humingi po ako ng napakakapal na medical history o medical abstract ng aking anak sa ospital. Pangalawa, hiningan ko po ng awa ang aking doktor para payagan na ireseta ito sa akin," she added.

Although they completed all the requirements, Cunanan said they can only buy a medicine that costs $32,000 because this is the only drug that meets the specific guidelines set by the Food and Drugs Administration.

"Kaya po kami po bilang ina, kumakatok kami sa inyong puso...We highly support Senate Bill 230 dahil po naniniwala po kami na ang batas na ito ang siyang magbibgay sa amin ng legal access, number one for an affordable, abot-kayang gamot para po hindi lang sa mayaman kundi lalo na po para sa mahirap na mga pasyente," she said.

"Pangalawa, safe, ligtas na hindi ho kami mahuhuli or makukulong dahil lang ninanais namin na gumamit ng gamot na makakatulong sa aming mga anak. Safe na wala pong pesticides, wala pong insecticide na posibleng maka-harm pa po ng aming mga anak," she added.

Passing the law would also remove the CSP requirement and they would no longer wait for three months before the medical cannabis is delivered, Cunanan said.

"We are seeking your help to kindly pass it because as of today, as I speak, we have around 80 patients who died already...and we cannot afford to wait for a longer time," she said. — BM, GMA Integrated News