A senior lawmaker is optimistic that Filipinos with debilitating illnesses will soon gain access to the currently banned medical cannabis as an alternative treatment for their maladies.
In a statement, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said he expects that the 19th Congress, in its third and final session, will pass the bill that allows cannabidiol (CBD) as a treatment for severe illnesses.
Villafuerte made the statement in light of the House’s approval of the measure on second reading before the sine die adjournment. The bill legalizes the use of the non-addictive component of the cannabis sativa plant.
Villafuerte’s earlier proposals to legalize medical cannabis passed the House in the 17th Congress and advanced to the technical working group (TWG) level in the 18th Congress. However, they measure stalled owing to a lack of Senate counterpart bills.
This time, Villafuerte believes the proposed law will move forward when the 19th Congress resumes in July. The Senate version of the bill has already passed the committee level and was set for plenary deliberations.
“We are upbeat about the bill legalizing the medical use of CBD getting the final nod of both the House and the Senate when the 19th Congress reopens for its third and final session in July,” said Villafuerte, one of the lead authors of House Bill (HB) 10439.
Villafuerte said Senate Bill (SB) 2573, the Senate counterpart of HB 10439, authored by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, was likely to pass as the committee report on this measure, which has been set for plenary discussions was signed by 13 senators last March.
Both the House and the Senate versions the bill propose the creation of a Medical Cannabis Authority to oversee the licensing and use of CBD oil for medical purposes. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD oil does not have intoxicating or psychoactive effects, making it safe for treating conditions like migraines, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, and end-stage cancer pain, Villafuerte said.
He added that in addition to its medical benefits, HB 10439 paves the way for a new industry in the production and trade of CBD oil products in the global medical cannabis market.
He noted that while health regulations permit the compassionate use of medical marijuana, the application process for importing and using CBD products locally is cumbersome and expensive, with only one compassionate special permit (CSP) issued by the FDA so far.
The proposed MCA is tasked to accredit doctors authorized to prescribe CBD, in coordination with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). The MCA, under the Department of Health (DOH), would also accredit drugstores, hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries allowed to sell CBD-containing drugs.
Despite the FDA issuing CSPs for patients to use imported CBD drugs, Villafuerte argued that new legislation is necessary due to the “tedious and costly application process. “Under HB 10439, marijuana will remain on the DDB’s list of dangerous drugs.
Villafuerte pointed out that only the medical use of CBD from cannabis sativa is being decriminalized under HB 10439, with marijuana remaining illegal under RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Villafuerte emphasized that the UN declaration states that medical cannabis does not have abuse potential or cause dependency.
With over 60 countries having legalized CBD, Villafuerte advocates streamlining the process to make medical cannabis more accessible to qualified patients.
