FDA chief open to medical use of cannabis

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director general Dr. Samuel Zacate said Tuesday he is open to the use of marijuana or cannabis for medical purposes. 

''My take is medicine is an innovation, we cannot guarantee na ito lang po tayo at darating sa future eh wala na, hanggang dito na lang,'' Zacate said at a Palace press briefing. 

''My take on marijuana is that I am open, basically, Filipinos must have a wide range of therapeutic indication, drug of choice so ako po ay for the record, to the Food and Drug Administration, as the director general is very much open for the marijuana as long as this has been streamlined as long as di makakasama sa ating mga kababayan,'' he added. 

Zacate noted that the proposed bill on medical use of marijuana is subject to the wisdom of the legislative branch of government. 

Earlier, the joint House committees on dangerous drugs and health approved an unnumbered substitute bill allowing the use of cannabis or marijuana for medical use.

Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the dangerous drugs panel, said the measure only allows for the medical use of cannabis and as such it will still be listed as an illegal drug as provided in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act or Republic Act 9165.

"This [proposed] law only grants an exception to the enumeration of prohibited drugs under RA 9165 by limiting it for medical use. Cannabis in pharmaceutical form is allowed, provided that you have a prescription," he said.

"Also, the law has limitations, as the accredited physician is only allowed to prescribe what is allowable for the illness," he added.

The Department of Health currently allows the medical use of cannabis under a compassionate special permit.

Once the proposed bill becomes a law, the lawmaker said that the issuance of a CSP will no longer be needed.—AOL, GMA Integrated News