Lawmaker drafts medical marijuana bill

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker presented to reporters Thursday his draft of a bill that will allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

“Modern research has confirmed the beneficial uses of cannabis (or marijuana) in treating and alleviating the pain, nausea and other symptoms associated with a variety of debilitating medical conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS, as found by the National Institute of Medicine of the US,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said in his explanatory note for the bill, which he will file before Congress goes on its annual adjournment middle of next month.

He said at least 20 states in the US as well as Israel, Canada, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have allowed the use of medical marijuana.

“Other states in the European Union, including Finland, Portugal, Spain, and Luxembourg, in recognition of the medical value of cannabis, have developed various form of de facto decriminalization, whereby possession and use of cannabis rarely lead to criminal prosecution,” Albano said.

Albano pointed out that in the Philippines, the law prohibiting dangerous drugs actually allows the cultivation of marijuana by laboratories and research centers “for medical experiments or research purposes or for the creation of new types of medicine.”

He said he is still talking to some colleagues to join him in presenting the measure and consulting with groups advocating medical marijuana.

The bill proposes the creation of a medical cannabis regulatory authority under the Department of Health to regulate the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The authority would issue identification cards to patients who, in its evaluation, are qualified to use medical marijuana. All information relating to patients would be treated as confidential.

A qualified patient would be prohibited from possessing or using medical marijuana in a public transportation or a public place, or from operating any vehicle while under the influence of cannabis.

The patient would not be allowed to use marijuana for purposes other than treating his debilitating medical condition. He would not be permitted to undertake tasks using body or motor functions impaired by his medical marijuana treatment.

An authorized physician would be prohibited from prescribing marijuana for purposes other than treating a medical condition covered by the proposed law.

The Albano bill prescribes penalties for offenders.

The secretary of health would be mandated to issue implementing guidelines.

Albano earlier said members of the Philippine Moms for Medical Marijuana have asked him to champion their cause in Congress.