Imee admits doubts on medical cannabis

Senator Imee Marcos admitted she has misgivings on the use of medical cannabis or marijuana, although it has long been prescribed by their family’s doctors for glaucoma.According to Marcos, she would like “to see very, very clear lines of control and regulation” as well as a mechanism for genuine enforcement of medical marijuana.“They would say it’s for medical use, but in the end, it is being used for recreational and other purposes. So, the regulation and control should be closely watched,” said Marcos as she cited several fake IDs like PWD (persons with disabilities) to access medical cannabis.As some doctors have warned that medical cannabis can be a gateway to dangerous drugs, Marcos wants the strictest implementation of medical cannabis.“I appreciate the intent, particularly the compassionate use of marijuana,” said Marcos, who said she has not yet signed the committee report on allowing the use of cannabis for serious medical conditions.The deliberations and debates on the measure will now be tackled on the Senate floor after 12 senators signed Committee Report No. 210, which was prepared and submitted by Senator Christopher Go, chair of the Senate Health and Demography. The report contains Senate Bill No. 2573 filed by Senator Robin Padilla.Aside from Go and Padilla, the other signatories to the committee report are Ronald Dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar, Lito Lapid, Raffy Tulfo, Bong Revilla Jr., Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva.Go, Villar, and Revilla signed with reservations while Estrada, Pimentel and Villanueva who noted they would interpellate or make proper amendments when the bill is reported out on the Senate floor.The bill provides that the use of cannabis for medical purposes will be permitted “to treat or alleviate a qualified patient’s debilitating medical condition or symptoms.”It also noted that the medicalization of cannabis includes its acquisition, possession, transportation, delivery, dispensing, administration, cultivation, or manufacturing by private individuals or entities only for medical and research purposes.