US FDA backs ‘scientific support for the use of marijuana as a medical treatment’
Strength in numbers is what seven advocacy groups will demonstrate by signing as convenors of one umbrella organization, CannAlliance PH, to push for the legalization of medical cannabis in the Philippines.
The groups — composed of Canna Hopefuls Inc., Masikhay Research, Seniors for Medcan PH, Philippine Society of Cannabinoid Medicine, Sensible Philippines, MedCann Party, and Haraya Policy Center — will hold the signing ceremony and official launch of CannAlliance PH on April 3 in Quezon City.
The move is to support Senate Bill (SB) 2573, or the Cannabis Medicalization Act of the Philippines, which has been submitted to the Senate plenary under Committee Report 210 following its approval by 13 senators.
“The chance of the medical cannabis bill passing into law is the highest so far since 2014,” CannAlliance PH chair Chuck Manansala told Business Mirror. “But we do not want to leave things to chance. So, we are consolidating forces and speaking with a louder voice.”
Representatives of the seven groups under CannAlliance PH will sign a manifesto, parts of which read:
“We, the advocates for medical cannabis in the Philippines, stand united in calling for a humane and just society where access to Affordable, Safe, and Available cannabis medicine is a fundamental right for all who seek its healing powers.
“For too long, Filipinos have been denied access to this natural medicine, a gift from the earth that has been used for millennia to alleviate pain, ease suffering, and restore health. We have been forced to endure the hardships of chronic illnesses, the agonizing symptoms of debilitating diseases and mental health issues — and the emotional toll these conditions take on our daily lives. All the while being denied the very remedy that could bring us solace and relief. Further adding insult to injury are the culture of prohibition and the draconian drug laws of the Philippines.”
The advocates pledge to engage in the following endeavors:
· “Educate the public about the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis, dispel myths and misconceptions, and empower Filipinos to make informed decisions about their health;
· “Fight for policy change that would enact legislation, craft policies, and implement measures that will legalize, decriminalize, and regulate the medical use of cannabis, ensuring that patients have safe and legal access to this life-changing medicine, and promote the development of locally produced medical cannabis products with extracts from locally developed cannabis cultivars;
· “Support research and development initiatives to further our understanding of medical cannabis and its potential applications, ensuring that Filipinos have access to the latest evidence-based treatments. We will make it our mission for the Philippines to be an internationally recognized center of cannabis research;
· “Foster a strong and supportive community of medical cannabis patients, caregivers, doctors, other health professionals, scientists, and advocates, and provide a network of resources and support system for those navigating the journey of healing. We will strive to establish strong working relationships with the international cannabis community.”
Recent developments in the United States indicate that health authorities are changing their old views of cannabis, popularly known worldwide as marijuana. In January, CNN online quoted documents written by researchers from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing “scientific support for the use of marijuana as a medical treatment, supporting its reclassification as a Schedule III substance.”
Since 1970, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in the US has listed marijuana as Schedule I, along with heroin and LSD, as having “maximum abuse potential but no medicinal value.”
The CNN report said that in 2022, “President Joe Biden asked US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and the attorney general to begin the administrative process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.”
On August 29, 2023, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Rachel Levine wrote a letter to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram recommending that “marijuana should be placed in the CSA’s Schedule III, a list that includes ‘drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence’ such as ketamine, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine.”
The FDA documents, said CNN, which are posted online, “reflect HHS’ evaluation of the scientific and medical evidence and its scheduling recommendation” to the Department of Justice.
At present, cannabis is legal for adult recreational use in 24 states, two territories, and Washington DC, while medical use of cannabis products is permitted in 38 states.
The DEA is the US government body authorized to make changes to marijuana’s scheduling. If the DEA proceeds with the proposed changes, the Philippines — which had adopted the CSA’s classification of cannabis — is bound to follow the changes.
In 2020, the Philippines’ Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) approved “in principle” a resolution to allow the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for alleviating severe forms of epilepsy.
Among the many components in cannabis, CBD, scientifically proven as a pain reliever, is one of the two most active, the other being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which produces the “high” or its psychoactive effects.
The DDB is the government’s policy-making and strategy-formulating body on the prevention and control of drug abuse.
DDB Undersecretary Benjie Reyes has been quoted as saying he believes cannabis “really has medical use.”
Image credits: Bernard Testa