Legalization of Marijuana As Medicine

Legalization of Marijuana as Medicine
While President Rodrigo Duterte maintains a violent, hardline approach to ridding the
Philippines of illegal drugs, a groundbreaking bill is said to be gaining support in the House of
Representatives to legalize medical marijuana in the country. Though the war on drugs has led to
thousands of deaths, House Bill No. 180, or the proposed Philippine Compassionate Medical
Cannabis Act, would improve, if not prolong, the lives of people who ingest marijuana as
medicine. The bill will create entities registered with the DOH to acquire, possess, cultivate,
manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, sell, supply, and dispense cannabis, devises or related
supplies and education materials to registered qualifying patients. These registered entities will
conduct scientific and medical research on medical use of cannabis and provide testing services
for its potency and contaminants relative to its safe and efficient use, cultivation, harvesting,
packaging, labeling, distribution and proper security.
The legalization of marijuana can bring both favorable and unfavorable effects to the
society and the environment. Although marijuana has negative effects to the behavior, health and
safety of individuals who take these, just like any ordinary drug, it can still be beneficial to the
society in some ways. There is now promising research into the use of marijuana that could
impact children and adults, including treatment for cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's, to name a
few. It is proved that it has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed. Some effects
of consuming marijuana are relaxation and the feeling of being “high”, can relieve pain, control
nausea, stimulate appetite, increase heart rate, dilate blood vessels, fluctuate blood pressure, and
can decrease short-term memory. Marijuana has also been proven to treat pain and muscle
spasticity. A recent study also concluded that marijuana could help regrow brain cells and could
improve memory. On the other hand, one of the most commonly cited negative consequences of
legalizing marijuana is the physical risks of the drug, both to those using it and to bystanders.
Research has shown that marijuana can increase the likelihood of schizophrenia, mainly if the
individual started smoking before the age of 18. There are also the health risks associated with
smoking, including second-hand smoke for non-consumers, and the probability that driving under
the influence of marijuana would be more common. It may also contribute to IQ declines when
used by teens, according to a recent study. Although legalization measures include age
restrictions, like alcohol and tobacco, legalizing marijuana would make it considerably easier for
children to get hold of it. This is an obvious consequence of the increased and open availability of
the substance, and the fact that marijuana is especially dangerous for adolescents makes this a
much more serious consequence. It is also believed that it’s morally wrong to consume
marijuana. The fact that people who take drugs are more likely to commit related crimes (such as
theft) also means that legalizing the drug could potentially lead to more criminals being out on
the street. Drug use is another reason police can use to take law-breakers off the streets. There is
also an argument, which states that the legalization of marijuana would eventually lead to the
legalization of all illicit substances. The public could become desensitized to drug use and over
time even crack cocaine and heroin could be purchased legally at dispensaries. Some people also
argue that the drug is serves as a “gateway” to other, more harmful substances. The dangers and
risks of marijuana use are well-known by the scientific community. Apathy, lost productivity,
addictive disease, deterioration in intellectual function, motor vehicle accidents, and psychosis
are all among the negative outcomes. All from a product that has no demonstrated benefit. For
nearly all conditions for which marijuana has purported benefits, we already have existing
medications and safe medications demonstrated to have value.
There will be numerous arguments for and against the legalization of marijuana, but the
current approach is clearly flawed. The fact that the war on drugs is still taking place and drugs
are not yet eradicated speaks volumes about the ability of prohibition to control substances.
Marijuana users are all over the country, and they are not going away. The argument of how we
should deal with it should be conducted openly and honestly by politicians and the public.

Legalization of Marijuana As Medicine

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Legalization of Marijuana as Medicine

packaging, labeling, distribution and proper security.

medications and safe medications demonstrated to have value.

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