PB defers reso on medical MARIJUANA
The proposed Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act has sparked debate among members of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) during its session yesterday.
Ex-officio PB Member Earl Tidy Oyas sponsored a resolution expressing support to the passage of House Bill No. 180.
Oyas is the president of the Philippine Councilors League – Cebu Chapter and the chairman of the PB committee on dangerous drugs.
He clarified that the support is for the legalization and regulation of the medical use of marijuana and not the recreational one after Board Member Celestino Martinez III, president of Liga ng mga Barangay-Cebu Province, asked about the difference between the two kinds of marijuana.
Board Member Raul Bacaltos said the support is premature since the proposal is still at the House Committee on Health, which approved the bill last week.
Board Member Sun Shimura, chairman of the PB committee on peace and order, expressed his apprehensions on the possible abuse in the use of medical marijuana prompting him to ask the body that the resolution be discussed further during their precaucus session yesterday.
Oyas moved to defer the discussion of his resolution and to invite health officials during their caucus.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale earlier expressed support to the bill, citing its supposed medical benefits, which she said “cannot be argued.”
She, however, qualified that medical experts should handle medical marijuana carefully and in the strictest sense.
Magpale has relinquished her post as presiding officer to Board Member Jerome Christian Librando when Oyas'resolution was discussed.
The head of Cebu's Provincial Health Office is (PHO) amenable to the proposal of legalizing medical marijuana but only in cases where there is scientific proof to back its effectiveness.
PHO Chief Doctor Rene Catan said he is open about the matter and if there's solid scientific basis.
Catan added that based on research, medical marijuana is intended for those patients with chemical imbalance in their brain.