Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 15) — Legalizing marijuana for medical use just got the support of the Department of Health (DOH).
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, however, said the agency opposes cannabis for recreational use and cultivation of the plant.
“On medical marijuana, my personal position, and I guess now the Department of Health’s position, is that we are supportive of bills that will legalize medical use or medical indication of marijuana,” he said in a forum on Friday.
Herbosa said he supports products which are either inhaled substances or oils made from manufactured cannabis.
The Cabinet official said a number of peer-reviewed studies have backed the medical use of marijuana for some patients including those battling cancer.
While some marijuana is already used medically in the country, Herbosa said those are for cases with Compassionate Use Permit after a thorough process.
In 2022, some senators doubted the measure proposing easier access to marijuana for medical use and raised concerns on whether the country has enough safeguards for such a policy.
RELATED: Bill seeking to legalize medical cannabis must be reviewed to avoid abuse, says Interior chief
House Bill 6783, filed in January, proposes to remove marijuana and any of its form or derivative from the list of dangerous drugs and substances.
Senator Robin Padilla, head of a subcommittee, ended an inquiry on efforts to make medical cannabis more accessible.
Marijuana remains an illegal, dangerous drug even after a United Nations commission removed cannabis from its list of most dangerous narcotics.
