THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) supported the answer of Catriona Gray on allowing medical marijuana, under a strictly regulated regime, in the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant.
In a briefing on Tuesday, PDEA Spokesman Derrick Arnold Carreon said Gray, who eventually won the Miss Universe 2018 title and became the Philippines’s fourth Miss Universe winner, was clear in her statement.
“Maganda ’yung sagot niya [She gave a good answer]. She even went on to say that she does not support dependency and abuse. So maganda po ang sagot ng ating Miss Universe [our Miss Universe gave a good answer],” Carreon said.
Carreon said it is important to note that medical marijuana does not mean allowing the planting of and even the establishment of marijuana greenhouses nationwide.
He said there are products that contain cannabidiol, or extracted CBD, as well as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which can be readily bought once medical marijuana is legalized in the country.
“At the end of the day, we are all for accessible use of any kind of medical preparations to the public, but let it not be said that the government will allow the use of marijuana [the plant],” Carreon said. Currently, there are bills filed in Congress seeking to legalize medical marijuana. Rep. Rodolfo T. Albano III of the First District of Isabela filed House Bill 180 or the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act.
Under House Bill 180, the government will legalize and regulate the medical use of cannabis, which advocates say has been confirmed to have beneficial and therapeutic uses to treat chronic or debilitating disease, or medical conditions that produce one or more of the following: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe and chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those associated with multiple sclerosis.
The bill mandates the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary to lead the formulation of regulations to implement the Act. The Secretary shall also issue registered identification (ID) cards to qualified patients after a careful review of their required documents.
It also provides for the establishment of the Medical Cannabis Compassionate Center, which refers to any entity registered with the DOH and licensed to acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, sell, supply and dispense cannabis, devices or related supplies and educational materials to registered qualifying patients.
On the same page
Meanwhile, Malacañang said on Tuesday President Duterte and Gray are on the same page when it comes to the medical use of marijuana.
Duterte is ready to sign a bill, on allowing the use of cannabis to relieve patients with certain medical conditions.
“The President already made a statement that he’s in favor of limited use of marijuana… logically, then he will support [bills for its implementation],” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a press briefing
On Monday, Gray was asked in the question and answer of the Miss Universe competition, held in Bangkok, Thailand, on her position on the marijuana use.
“I’m for it being used in a medical use but not so for recreational use,” Gray answered.