IN a significant step forward for alternative medical treatments, the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, led by Bukidnon Representative Jonathan Keith Flores, and the Committee on Health, presided over by Manila Representative Giselle Mary Maceda, have jointly approved a consolidated bill aimed at providing access to medical cannabis. The approval, which occurred during a hearing on Tuesday, is subject to style revisions and amendments.
The consolidated bill incorporates House Bills (HBs) 193, 2861, 367, 420, 1115, and 3864. These bills highlight numerous studies that demonstrate the therapeutic advantages of medical cannabis for individuals suffering from debilitating conditions such as epilepsy, cancer, glaucoma, nervous system damage, and multiple sclerosis. The authors of the bills have emphasized the potential of medical cannabis to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for patients with these conditions.
“This bill recognizes the use of medical cannabis as an alternative treatment to manage the suffering of qualified patients from neuropathic or chronic pain,” Maceda stated. She also stressed that the bill includes stringent safety measures and regulations to prevent abuse of the medicinal plant, ensuring it is used responsibly and for its intended purpose.
A similar bill was previously approved by the House in a prior Congress but did not pass into law. Advocates are hopeful that this latest effort will succeed in making medical cannabis a legal and accessible option for patients in need.
Maceda highlighted that the primary objective of the bill is to ensure medical cannabis is both affordable and readily available to those who require it. The bill specifies that medical cannabis will be provided in pharmaceutical dosage forms, ensuring proper regulation and quality control.
