Senator Robin Hood Padilla reads a copy of People’s Tonight at his Senate office. Photo by CAMILLE P. BALAGTAS
Sen. Robin Hood: Medical MJ means more jobs
SENATOR Robin Hood Padilla said legalizing the use of cannabis or medical marijuana will create more jobs and opportunities and at the same time open a new industry for the country.
Padilla stressed this in an interview as he expressed the need for Congress to review this controversial proposal. He added that legalizing medical marijuana could support millions of jobs across the country and will create an industry that will help our people.
Padilla in his Senate Bill 230 seeks to legalize the medical use of marijuana and explained specifically that it will be in capsule and oil form for use in debilitating medical conditions of qualified patients added that this can also create an industry.
“Hindi po ito dapat abusuhin kundi dapat gamitin talaga para sa may sakit at para sa medical purposes. At kung sakaling isa-legal ito ay dapat lamang na may close monitoring ng gobyerno,” he added.
Padilla who is pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana as a “compassionate alternative means of medical treatment” also seeks to expand research into the medicinal properties of marijuana, which is widely used in other countries as a herbal medicine to treat certain conditions, including gout, rheumatism, and malaria.
“The State should, by way of exception, allow the use of cannabis for compassionate purposes to promote the health and well-being of citizens proven to be in dire need of such while at the same time providing the strictest regulations to ensure that abuses for casual use or profiteering be avoided,” Padilla said in his bill.
Under the bill, “debilitating medical conditions” may include cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous system of the spinal cord, epilepsy, human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis or similar chronic autoimmune deficiency, diseases requiring hospice care, severe nausea, sleep disorders, mood disorders, recurring migraine headaches, and other debilitating medical conditions identified by the Department of Health (DOH) through the Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee.
The bill designates the DOH as the principal regulatory agency that shall establish Medical Cannabis Compassionate Centers in public tertiary hospitals and set up a prescription monitoring system and an electronic database of registered medical cannabis patients and their physicians with issued registry identification.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will test medical cannabis products, while the Dangerous Drugs Board and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will monitor and regulate medical cannabis.
Padilla assured that he included safeguards to “ensure that abuses for casual use or profiteering” would be avoided, which include 12 years to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to P10 million, depending on the violation and the violator.
Under the bill, doctors who violate the provisions of the measure face suspension or revocation of their professional licenses.
In press conference, Senator Joseph Victor JV Ejercito confirmed that some of his colleagues expressed willingness to listen to the possibility of legalizing medical marijuana.
“Hindi naman nagpakita ang mga kasama natin na hindi favorable dito. For sure pag aaralan pa ng marami sa amin ang usapin na ito but parang marami ang willing makinig,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito hinted that the opposition to the legalization of medical marijuana is softening. Ejercito said that in informal chats with fellow senators he sensed that the opposition is lesening and recounted a joke by Senator Ronald Bato de la Rosa, (who was a former PNP Chief turned senator) when they apprehended marijuana users — that there was little resistance, and they were “cool” and made “appear” gestures.
“Yung dinakip daw dahil sa marijuana ay binibigay pa ang kamay voluntary at nakikipag appear gesture pa kwento ni Sen. Bato dela Rosa.” Ejercito jokingly told this reporter.
“But at the end of the day, dapat masusing pag-aralan ito sa Kongreso. Kailangan po busisiin at magkaroon ng tamang mga panuntunan para masiguro na hindi maaabuso,” Ejercito maintained.
He further said that Senator Padilla is right in highlighting its medical benefits and making “cannabis” available for medical uses for those in pain from cancer chemotherapy and other ailments.
Based on official reports, the cannabis industry in the United States hit six figures in its first year.
It also confirmed that more than 100,000 Cannabis jobs was created in 2021 which represents 33% increase in just one year.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 according to reports was the fifth consecutive year that the Cannabis industry showed an annual job growth rate of 27% or higher.
