Philippines: legalization of medical cannabis moves forward slowly but surely

A bill to legalize medical cannabis in the Philippines has just passed its second reading in the House of Representatives. It had been approved on first reading in September 2017 and it's been since 2014 that the bill has been under discussion. Nevertheless, President Rodrigo Duterte recently announced that he would bring support initiatives to legalize medical cannabis, which could speed up the process. In fact, the bill was approved on second reading a month after it was announced.

BREAKING: The House of Representatives approves on second reading House Bill 6517, or the proposed Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act | @xianneangel pic.twitter.com/mWq8Ftlryn

- CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) January 23, 2019

What the law proposes

This bill would enable the establishment of a national medical cannabis industry. It calls for the creation of the Compassionate Center for Medical Cannabis, which will be responsible for drafting regulations. Medical cannabis would be made available under prescription only for a wide variety of pathological conditions (cachexia, chronic pain, severe nausea, epilepsy, severe muscular rigidity including multiple sclerosis, palliative care). The law provides for the creation of a research center dedicated to studying the therapeutic potential of cannabis.

As the President of the Senate explains, medical cannabis is theoretically authorized: a decree from the Ministry of Health 1992 stipulates that «people with legitimate medical needs can be treated with an adequate amount of the appropriate drug, even if it is included in the list of narcotics». In practice, however, the lack of a source of supply and the context of a bloody drug war under President Duterte is more than enough to dissuade potential beneficiaries.

Moreover, under the new law, cannabis will remain a tightly controlled substance. Its transportation will be handled by the Philippine DEA, and access to medical cannabis will be strictly regulated. It will be available only on presentation of a patient card and in pharmacies or government-run public hospitals and specially licensed clinics. Congressman Albano, who worked on the drafting of the law, has also clarified that it does not authorize the use of cannabis in the form of flowers for smoking.

House Bill 6517 must now pass its third reading in the House of Representatives before being transferred to the Senate. Some senators are already in favor of the bill. some, like Grace Poe, are calling for extensive debate and highlighting the risks of hijacking. If accepted by the Senate, the proposal will then go to a specialized committee to reconcile the two chambers' versions. The President must then validate the final version. This seems to be a foregone conclusion, since he has made it clear that he would support any kind of initiative to legalize medical cannabis. Not far from it, Thailand has legalized medical cannabis in the New Year and prepares to launch production.