Raw marijuana not medicinal

By Bebot Villar

A FORUM aimed to generate scientific discussions on relevant health issues and policies to help support the decision-making processes of the Legislative Branch of government was held recently.

The first issue of The 1st Academic Health Policy Forum was: “Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis.”  House Bill 4477 entitled “An Act Regulating the Medical Use of Cannabis, Establishing for the Purpose, the Medical Cannabis Regulatory Authority and Appropriating Funds Therefor,” filed by Congressman Rodolfo T. Albano, is now being discussed at the House of Representatives’ Committee on Health.

Among the discussants were UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Dr. Marlyn Lorenzo, Dr. Leonardo Estacio, representatives from 9 UP’s departments, Dangerous Drugs Board, Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine Medical Association.  Ang kilalang eksperto at dating miyembro ng United Nations International Narcotics Control Board  (UNINCB) na si Dr. Nelia Maramba ay dumating din sa okasyon.

The discussion endeavoured to address the following concerns: Is medical Marijuana necessary? Is it safe and efficacious? And is the HB 4477 necessary?

The following were the agreements reached:

1. Raw marijuana (herb/leaf form) can not be used as medicines;
2. Efficacy of marijuana for treating some ailment (like pain) may have some evidence, however, more evidence are required to establish it’s safe use;
3. Currently, there is still no antidote for marijuana toxicity so its safe use will always remain an issue;
4. The current Medical Marijuana Bill, in it’s current form is not necessary since there are existing laws, policies and government issuances that can accommodate compassionate use of dangerous drugs as well as the conduct of researches on these substances.

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My office just received a report that is worrisome.

Nabigla ako sa report ng aking source sa sinabing ang Rosales daw is already heaviliy drug-affected! Alam ko hindi ganyan ang sitwasyon during the time of former mayor Ric Revita. Under his watch, the peace and order in Rosales was well under-control. Thie drug situation knows no politics so I must say that what’s reporteldy happening now in that town is alarming and a serious threat to the town’s young set.

I occasionally visit the town because my parents’ house is still there, kaya mas lalong concerned ako. How did this happen? Why? Bakit naging grabe ang problema ng droga rito Mayor Susan Casareno?

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I wish to digress a bit to an issue outside of Pangasinan.

One of the most controversial programs of the national government, after super-typhoon Yolanda ravaged the Visayas area, is the Emergency Shelter Assistance Program of the DSWD, commonly known as ESA. The controversy lies in its implementation as crooked local government officials have taken advantage of the money downloaded to the local government units, as implementers of the program, according to our informant.

The most innovative of all local government units in the Eastern Visayas area, is the Municipality of Tanauan. It’s the first town to use vouchers, instead of cash ang ipamigay sa mga recipients.  Sa Thirty Thousand Pesos na itinalaga ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) para sa bawa’t tahanan, ang recipient ay unang nabigyan ng vouchers na nagkakahalaga ng P20,000.00 at cash na P10,000.00 matapos ang P20,000.00 ay magamit o maubos na.

The voucher was to be exchanged for construction materials at any of the pre-accredited suppliers of the local government unit whose prices are “uniform.” Note: Most of the items were 20% higher than the prices prevailing in the market!

Ang masama, ang mga beneficiaries na nakapag-patayo na ng bahay at hindi na kailangan ng mga construction materials, and, therefore, have no use for the voucher.

Some local officials must have made a killing here. Who made the killing? Your guess is as good as mine.

Reports have it that there is still an excess of Php 40 -47 million the ESA funds in the coffers of the municipality.  So, the local government officials are now in a dilemma. They do not want to return the excess to the DSWD and neither would they want to distribute the money to the people. Sinasabing apat o limang local officials ang nagkapera sa Yolanda!

Calling on the Commission on Audit. Due to inaction of the Office of the Ombudsman on a September, 2013 complaint lodged against the local government officials of Tanauan, the Tanauananons have given up on the Office of the Ombudsman.

(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)

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