Inihayag ng Food and Drug Administration na bukas ito sa ideya ng paggamit ng marijuana o cannabis kung gagamitin lamang ito para sa medisina o bilang gamot.
”My take is medicine is an innovation, we cannot guarantee na ito lang po tayo at darating sa future eh wala na, hanggang dito na lang,” pahayag ni FDA director general Dr. Samuel Zacate.
”My take on marijuana is that I am open, basically, Filipinos must have a wide range of therapeutic indication, drug of choice so ako po ay for the record, to the Food and Drug Administration, as the director general is very much open for the marijuana as long as this has been streamlined as long as di makakasama sa ating mga kababayan,” dagdag niya.
Ayon pa kay Zacate, ang mga mambabatas ang pagpapasya sa panukalang batas kung papayagang gamitin ang marijuana for medical use.
Kung matatandaan, inaprubahan ng joint House committees on dangerous drugs at health ang substitute bill para payagan ang paggamit ng cannabis o marijuana para sa medisina.
Sinabi ni Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, pinuno ng committee on dangerous drugs panel, na papayagan lang na gamitin ang marijuana bilang gamot pero mananatili ito sa listahan bilang illegal drug alinsunod sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act or Republic Act 9165.
“This [proposed] law only grants an exception to the enumeration of prohibited drugs under RA 9165 by limiting it for medical use. Cannabis in pharmaceutical form is allowed, provided that you have a prescription,” paliwanag ni Barbers,
“Also, the law has limitations, as the accredited physician is only allowed to prescribe what is allowable for the illness,” dagdag niya.
Sa kasalukuyan, pinapayagan ng Department of Health ang paggamit ng marijuana bilang gamot sa ilalim ng compassionate special permit.
