Cannabis in the Philippines
The cultivation and use of cannabis in the Philippines is illegal under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.[1][2] As the Philippines is a signatory to the 1961 United NationsSingle Convention on Narcotic Drugs,[3] Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, which limits its use to medical and scientific purposes. Marijuana is the second most used drug in the Philippines, after shabu (methamphetamine), and most cultivation in the country is for local consumption. Cannabis is cultivated mostly in the remote, mountainous regions of Luzon and Mindanao[4]
Legality[edit]
Cannabis has been illegal in the Philippines since 1972 by virtue of Republic Act No. 6425, or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.[5] RA6425 classified marijuana as a prohibited drug, and detailed out punishments for the importation, sale, manufacture, cultivation, possession, and use of the drug, as well as possession of any drug-related paraphernalia. RA6425 also created the Dangerous Drugs Board, giving it jurisdiction over drug-related cases. In 2002, the Comphrehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 was signed, repealing RA6425.[1] RA9165 also enabled the creation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, which handles the implementation and enforcement of policies and strategies made by the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Under the current law, the importation, sale, maintenance of a den, manufacture, use, and cultivation of marijuana and marijuana-related products shall be met with life imprisonment and a fine ranging from 500,000 to 10 million pesos.[1]
Statistics[edit]
In 2015, the Dangerous Drugs Board estimated, based on admission data in drug rehabilitation centers, that around 25% of center clients use marijuana.[6][7]
Arrests for marijuana have been steady in recent years. In 2016, the PDEA eradicated a total of 337 marijuana sites.[8] In the first seven months of 2015, PDEA reported conducting 22 successful cannabis eradication operations, resulting in the destruction of 117 growing sites and the seizure of cannabis valued at approximately 3.5 million USD.[4] That same year PDEA eradicated a total of 286 marijuana sites.[8] In 2014, the PDEA reported that 8.9% of all drug seizures they made that year involved marijuana,[7] and that they eradicated a total of 506 growing sites, the largest in recent years.[8]
Reform[edit]
A pro-medical marijuana NGO called the Philippine Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (PORMAL) seeks to challenge the law in order to legalize its use, however there is opposition from both the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and senators like Vicente Sotto III. The PDEA claims that marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to the abuse of harder substances. Senator Sotto has asked PORMAL to submit empirical evidence on the benefits of marijuana use.[9]
Medical Marijuana[edit]
While the law recognizes the medical uses of marijuana On May 26, 2014, Isabela representative Rodolfo Albano III introduced House Bill No. 4477, known as the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act to the 16th Congress of the Philippines, which would legalize the use of medical marijuana.[10][11] The Inquirer describes this bill as a "hotly-debated topic."[12] This bill was filed in the Philippine Congress to legalize the use of medical marijuana in 2014.[13] One of the bill's co-authors, Leah Paquiz, said "We are at this stage, we have Filipinos who need care, we should give them compassionate care - this medical cannabis. There are a lot of medicines, but they are expensive."[13] The bill was, however, ultimately not passed during the 16th Congress. Albano has filed the bill during the 17th Congress of the Philippines.[14][15] The bill is currently under referendum as House Bill 180.[16]
President Rodrigo Duterte stated during his campaign that he was supportive of medical marijuana. Duterte stated: "Medical marijuana, yes, because it is an ingredient of modern medicine now. There are medicines now being developed or already in the market that contains marijuana as a component but used for medical purposes."[13]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c An Act Instituting the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Repealing Republic Act No. 6425, Otherwise Known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, as Amended, Providing its Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes, Republic Act No. 9165 of June 7, 2002. Retrieved on April 15, 2017.
- ^ "PDEA backs Pope Francis' stance vs legalizing marijuana". philstar.com.
- ^ "1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs" (PDF). Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ a b "2016 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)". US Department of State. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ The Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, Republic Act No. 6425 of April 4, 1972. Retrieved on April 16, 2017.
- ^ "DDB 2015 Statistics". Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ a b "A look at the state of crime, drugs in the Philippines". Rappler. January 5, 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ a b c "PDEA - Statistical Data". Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "Citing its medicinal value, NGO pushes for marijuana legalization". GMA News Online.
- ^ "Bill on medical use of marijuana filed in Congress". Rappler. May 28, 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "Experts study medical pot use". Inquirer. July 10, 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ Caruncho, Eric (November 10, 2015). "Are you ready to try medical marijuana?". Inquirer. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ a b c F, Jessica (May 24, 2016). "Presumptive President of the Philippines, Duterte, Says Yes to Medical Marijuana". Inquirer. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ^ "Solon re-files "Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Bill"". House of Representatives. July 9, 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "Congressman to refile medical marijuana bill in July". CNN News. June 26, 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
- ^ "House Bills and Resolutions".
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