Medical marijuana could be gateway to drug abuse, groups warn

Various groups have thumbed down a move to legalize medical marijuana in the Philippines, saying allowing use of the drug for medical purposes could lead to its abuse, a report on GMA 7's "24 Oras" said on Friday.

House Bill No. 4477 or the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Bill authored by Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III aims to use cannabis, or marijuana, to treat certain diseases.



The bill also mandates the creation of a center for research, production, and distribution of medical marijuana.

Marijuana is among the prohibited drugs listed in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The Dangerous Drugs Board and the Philippine Medical Association stated that allowing medical cannabis may be a gateway for people to abuse the use of marijuana in the country.

"Huwag nating gawing guinea pig ang bansa natin," Dangerous Drugs Board assistant secretary Ben Reyes said.

But Albano clarified that the bill won't make marijuana available to everyone. "Growing, possession, or manufacturing or whatever, bawal pa rin."

Some doctors also stressed that they are not against allowing the use of marijuana as medicine.

"It's the house bill ang ino-oppose namin, " Dr. Marilyn Ortiz, the president of Philippine League Against Epilepsy said. She did not explain. — Trisha Macas/JDS, GMA News