Duterte on marijuana use

Shortly after making the remark about using marijuana, Duterte tells reporters he wasn't serious when he said it.

Duterte says marijuana remark just a joke | @alexisbromero

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) December 3, 2018

The president was talking about the hectic schedules at Association of Southeast Asian Nations summits when he casually mentioned that he uses marijuana to stay awake. The remark, which was accompanied by a hand gesture suggesting taking a puff, was met with chuckles from the audience.

The Presidential Communications and Operations Office has taken down its link to the livestream of the event.

Duterte has often made remarks that are later walked back or explained by his subordinates and spokespersons. His comments are also often explained as not reflective of actual policy.

Commenting on the tight schedule for ASEAN activities, President Rodrigo Duterte says he uses marijuana in the morning.

"It's a killing activity, and I think my age, ako hindi masyado, kasi nagma-marijuana ako eh para... para magising," he says to chuckles from the audience.

"Sa iba hindi na kaya. Yung mga tao diyan puro revolutionary yan.. They had to undergo turmoil and di ko talaga, I don’t know how to reconfigure the style of taking up the I said, the only important, the most urgent, the most immediate. Pero yung iba, di talaga kaya. Pangit pa ng mga ulam susmaryosep, totoo," he also says in the same breath.

President Duterte says he uses marijuana to remain awake

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) December 3, 2018

While still president-elect, Duterte said he is not opposed to the legalization of marijuana for medical use.

"Medical marijuana, yes, because it is really an ingredient of modern medicine now," he told reporters in May 2016 when asked about his stance on legalizing marijuana.

"There are medicines right now being developed or already in the market that (have) marijuana as a component but used for medical purposes," he also said.

He clarified, however, that he is against recreational use of caannabis: "If you just smoke it like a cigarette, I will not allow it ever."