Senator Robin Padilla on Friday urged the Senate to reexamine its stance on medical cannabis, citing a major policy shift in the United States under President Donald Trump as proof that global attitudes are changing.
Padilla anchored his appeal on his proposed Medical Cannabis Compassionate Act, which seeks to allow the strictly regulated medical use of cannabis administered only by licensed health professionals.
“What else is missing, colleagues in the Senate? It’s for medical purposes, it’s not for recreational use. Those are two different things… it’s medicine for people who are ill. It’s not for a pot session. The difference is significant,” he said.
The senator argued that medical cannabis should be treated as a legitimate therapeutic option for patients with serious illnesses, particularly those who lack access to costly synthetic medicines.
He also pointed to potential benefits for patients suffering from chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions that have shown limited response to conventional treatment.
Padilla’s push for medical cannabis followed recent developments in the United States where Trump signed an executive order directing a major change in federal cannabis policy.
The order instructs US authorities to reclassify cannabis from the most restrictive drug category to a lower-risk classification that allows expanded scientific research.
Under the new classification, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level but is treated similarly to drugs with recognized medical value and controlled risk.
The reclassification is expected to make it easier for researchers to study cannabis and its derivatives, including potential benefits and long-term health risks.
