Endorsed by a former president and by a reigning Miss Universe, the medical marijuana bill rose from deep slumber and approved on second reading in the House of Representatives Wednesday.
House Bill No. 6517 or the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act is expected to be passed on third and final reading next week. This will give the Senate time to pass its own version of the controversial but popularly supported legislative measure.
House approves on second reading House Bill No. 6517 or the legalization of medical marijuana use.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano, principal author of the bill, lauded his colleagues in the Lower House for passing the measure before the congressional break next month.
Co-authors Reps. Johnny Pimentel (PDP-laban, Surigao del Sur) and Tom Villarin (Akbayan Partylist) were equally relieved that the measure was revived after the previous House leadership sent it to the legislative backburner.
HB 6517 provides for the compassionate and right of access to medical cannabis. It also proposes the expansion of medical research into its medicinal properties.
Arroyo added her voice to the growing number of known personalities batting for the legalization of medical marijuana in the country, saying that she had experienced using it.
In an interview last week, Arroyo said she used a “pain patch” also known as cannabis patch, to relieve the severe pain caused by her cervical spine condition.
“I really believe in medical cannabis. As you know I have my problem here (cervical spine) and when I’m in a country that allows it, I put a pain patch,” she revealed.
The former chief executive was quick to clarify that she does not use the effective pain relief patch in the Philippines because it remains prohibited under the law.
Arroyo said she filed the medical cannabis bill because of her personal experience.
“So I authored that bill because I believe that it can help me and many other people but there was a lot of objection to the bill from the House and from the Senate,” she stated.
Gray voiced out her support to the proposal when she won the title.
“I’m for the use (of marijuana) in the medical use but not so for recreational use because I think if people were to argue what about alcohol and cigarettes, well, everything is good but in moderation,” the Filipina beauty said before a live television audience.
Albano said Arroyo and Gray joined top American basketball stars of the National Basketball Association.
It will be recalled that Coach Steve Kerr of the two-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors supported the lifting of the league’s ban on medical cannabis for players.
Albano said Kerr has predicted that the on-going move to lift the prohibition will “happen eventually.”
He disclosed that Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony Towns and former NBA Commissioner David Stern also came out with statements urging the NBA to allow the use of the substance for professional cagers representing cities where medical marijuana is legal.
“Athletes who suffer from excruciating pain caused by serious sports injuries should be allowed to access medical cannabis,” said Albano.
He noted that the debate on the use of lifting of medical marijuana in the NBA started when Denver Nuggets power forward Al Harrington confessed using the medicinal form of marijuana which he claimed have provided better relief than other anti-inflammatories for his knee injury.
Towns, who aspired to become a doctor before being lured to the more lucrative professional basketball, said he has “seen first-hand the benefits of medical marijuana” on people facing painful physical ailment and even to autistic persons.
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