Bill legalizing medical marijuana reaches Senate plenary

A bill legalizing medical cannabis in the Philippines has reached the Senate plenary for debates.

Senator Robin Padilla sponsored Senate Bill 2573 or the proposed Cannabis Medicalization Act of the Philippines during the plenary session on Wednesday.

In his sponsorship speech, Padilla said it is time to hear the appeal of the parents and patients who seek to legalize medical cannabis to treat their diseases.

"Binibigyang-linaw po natin na ang medical cannabis ay complementary treatment na isasabay sa mga gamot na sadyang ginagamit na ng isang pasyente," he said.

(We are making clear that medical cannabis is a complementary treatment to the medicines prescribed to a patient.)

"Ang inihahain pong batas ng inyong lingkod ay hango sa pag-aaral, pagsasaliksik, testimonya ng mga doktor at eksperto mula sa iba’t ibang panig ng daigdig na may sapat na kaalaman at best practices sa pagpapatupad nito," Padilla said.

(The measure I am presenting is based on careful study and on testimonies from doctors and experts worldwide, as well as best practices.)

Under the measure, the use of cannabis for medical purposes will be allowed "to treat or alleviate a qualified patient's debilitating medical condition or symptoms."

The medicalization of cannabis will include its acquisition, possession, transportation, delivery, dispensing, administration, cultivation, or manufacturing by private individuals or entities only for medical and research purposes.

The measure will also create the Philippine Medical Cannabis Authority (PMCA) under the Department of Health, which will be the principal regulatory agency in the access and use of medical cannabis and the implementation of the proposed measure.

The PMCA will be mandated to formulate and adopt a Comprehensive Cannabis Medicalization Plan; formulate rules and regulations related to the propagation, cultivation, planting, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, dispensing, and patient licenses and prescription; establish and maintain an information system to track cannabis growth from seed to sale for monitoring and regulation purposes; and formulate and implement standard operating procedures for every stage of producing medical cannabis, among others.

A Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will also be constituted to assist and provide directions in the formulation, implementation and assessment of policies, guidelines, and regulations under the proposed measure.

Patients considered qualified for the use of medical cannabis are those who are diagnosed by a certifying physician as having a debilitating medical condition and may receive therapeutic or palliative benefits from the use of medical cannabis.

The bill also includes provisions on the validity of prescription for patients, grounds for revocation of prescription, cultivation, production and manufacturing of cannabis, testing of cannabis, exemption from civil and criminal liability, prohibited acts, and penalties for violations of the proposed measure.

A joint congressional oversight committee will also be created to conduct a regular review of the implementation of the proposed measure.

Padilla also clarified that the list of medical cannabis products to be legalized will be limited to edibles, pills, oil, tincture, flower, topicals, and inhalers. Strict regulations will also govern the importation of such products.

An electronic monitoring system shall be put in place for the cultivation of cannabis, he said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News