6 solons co-author medical cannabis bill

The proposal to legalize the regulated use of marijuana for medicinal purposes as
embodied in House Bill 4477 filed by Rep. Rodolfo Albano III last month has started to gain
support from lama!ers ith si" House members no co#authoring the measure.
The co#authors of HB 4477 or the proposed $%ompassionate &se of 'edical %annabis
Act( are House 'inority )eader Ronaldo *amora +)one ,istrict- .an /uan %ity0- Reps. 1mi
%ali"to#Rubiano +)one ,istrict- 2asay %ity0- Roy .e3eres +2arty#list- 4560- Regina Reyes
+)one ,istrict- 'arindu7ue0- 1lisa 4lga 8ho +9
nd
,istrict- 'asbate0 and Henry 4aminal +9
nd
,istrict- 'isamis 4ccidental0.
The lama!ers: co#authorship of the bill as done before %ongress adjourned sine die last
ee!.
The bill pro;ides it is the policy of the .tate to pro;ide measures to achie;e a balance in
the national drug control program so that patients ith debilitating medical condition may recei;e
ade7uate amount of treatment and appropriate medications from the regulated use of dangerous
drugs.
Toard this end- the bill pro;ides the .tate shall legalize and regulate the medical use of
cannabis hich has been confirmed to ha;e beneficial and therapeutic uses to treat chronic or
debilitating disease or medical condition that produces one or more of the folloing< cache"ia or
asting syndrome= se;ere and chronic pain= se;ere nausea= seizures- including but not limited to
those characteristic of epilepsy= or se;ere and persistent muscle spasms- including but not limited
to those associated ith multiple sclerosis.
The measures pro;ides for the establishment under the ,epartment of Health +,4H0- of a
'edical %annabis Regulatory Authority- hich shall regulate the medical use of cannabis in the
country. It shall be headed by a ,irector#>eneral ho shall be appointed by the 2resident of the
2hilippines from the list of specialist physicians recommended by the .ecretary of Health.
The 'edical %annabis Regulatory Authority shall issue registered identification +I,0 cards
to 7ualified patients after a careful re;ie of the documents re7uired by the Authority and
included in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.
An entity shall operate as a 'edical %annabis %ompassionate %enter +'%%%0 after
appro;al of its application and registration ith the 'edical %annabis Regulatory Authority. A
'%%% shall guarantee the appropriate dispensation of cannabis and shall not release more than
the prescribed dosage for one month to a registered 7ualified patient or designated caregi;er- the
bill pro;ides.
Albano said he recorded use of cannabis as medicine goes bac! to about 9-?@@#A@-@@@
years ago in traditional %hinese and Indian medicine.
NR # 3501
JUNE 18, 2014
$'odern research has confirmed the beneficial uses of cannabis in treating and alle;iating
the pain- nausea and other symptoms associated ith a ;ariety of debilitating medical conditions
including cancer- multiple sclerosis- and HIB#AI,. as found by the Cational Institute of
'edicine of the &. in 'arch- ADDD-( he said.
Albano further said cannabis has many currently accepted medical uses in the &.- ha;ing
been recommended by thousands of licensed physicians and more than ?@@-@@@ patients in 9A
states ith medical marijuana las. )i!e the 9@ states and the ,istrict of %olumbia in the &nited
.tates- Israel- %anada- the Cetherlands and the %zech Republic ha;e enacted medical cannabis
las that remo;e criminal sanctions for the medical use of cannabis- define eligibility for such
use- and allo some means of access- in most cases- through a dispensary.
4ther states in the 1uropean &nion- such as 5inland- 2ortugal- .pain and )u"embourg- in
recognition of the medical ;alue of cannabis- ha;e de;eloped ;arious forms of de facto
decriminalization- hereby possession and use of cannabis- rarely lead to criminal prosecution
according to Albano.
In the 2hilippines- he said the $,angerous ,rugs Act of 9@@9( recognized the medical use
of drugs classified as dangerous drugs including marijuana hen it said in .ection 9< $The
go;ernment shall- hoe;er aim to achie;e a balance in the national drug control program so that
people ith legitimate medical needs are not pre;ented from being treated ith ade7uate
amounts of appropriate medications- hich include the use of dangerous drugs.( It ent further
in .ection AE hen it pro;ided that $Fin the case of medical laboratories and medical research
centers hich culti;ate or culture marijuana- opium poppy and other plants- or materials of such
dangerous drugs for medical e"periments and research purposes or the creation of ne types of
medicine- the Board shall prescribe the necessary implementing guidelines for the proper
culti;ation- culture- handling- e"perimentation and disposal of such plants and materials.( +G@0
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