On legalizing Marijuana; Del Mar to solons: “Hinay-hinay lang”

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City First District Representative Raul del Mar has cautioned his colleagues in Congress from passing House Bill No. 6517 which would allow access to marijuana.

Del Mar delivered his manifestation Wednesday, saying that legalizing marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, is divisive to the nation and fraught with danger.

“We need to be careful and study the proposal a lot more. As we in the Visayas and Mindanao say, ‘hinay-hinay lang’," he said.

He proposed that the bill must define more clearly "marijuana" by including the phrase found in Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002: namely, "Cannabis or commonly known as Marijuana or Indian hemp or by its any other name."

Del Mar also pointed out the “incongruous purpose” and “awful timing” of the planned passage of the bill.

“Indeed, at a time when so much efforts and resources of government are used to curb drug addiction, when the issue has rocked and divided the nation, why increase the risk of having more drug addicts through the so-called legalized marijuana? Why add another problem to the heap of problems spawned by illegal drugs?” del Mar said.

Despite its intent to strictly regulate the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, del Mar said people who wish to profit from the project can always find ways to go around the law.

“Purported use of marijuana for medicine could easily lead to use of marijuana for recreation, which inevitably results in wider spread of drug addiction,” he said.

The Philippine Medical Association issued last Nov. 7 a statement opposing the legalization of medical marijuana, warning that the bill "could lead to the diversion of cannabis for recreational use.

The United Nations 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics declared it dangerous and highly addictive. The University of Manila technical working group on medical cannabis has opposed the proposed law, citing that it poses a "serious threat" to public health.

“Adverse effects on health and its addictive properties should make us slow down before passing a law that would open another floodgate for dangerous drugs,” del Mar said.

The lawmaker also pointed out that the 168 countries that have not legalized marijuana dwarfed the 27 nations that have allowed the use of the drug.

“The countries allowing marijuana should not necessarily be our model. Local conditions may not be similar to theirs,” he said.

The Philippines, under Republic Act No. 9165, committed to the U.N. 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics as part of the law of the land. The said U.N. Convention places marijuana/cannabis under the schedule of "dangerous drugs having no medical use with high addictive potential."

“Many other ills afflict the nation,” del Mar added. (FREEMAN)