Ni NOEL ABUEL
Nanawagan si Senador Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla sa Department of Health (DOH) na makipag-ugnayan sa ibang bansa para sa paigtingin ang kaalaman at ang pananaliksik sa paggamit ng medical cannabis.
Sa inihain ni Padilla na Senate Resolution 1066 kung saan ipinunto nito na nakabuo na ng “fully regulated markets” ang ibang bansa para sa mga produkto ng cannabis.
“Given the growing acceptance of cannabis as an alternative and safe option for treatment, our country’s health department must exercise openness and willingness to engage with international partners as this can be beneficial in facilitating knowledge and information sharing, and collaborative research initiatives,” aniya.
Sinabi pa ni Padilla na may mga international conferences para rito, kasama ang Annual Cannabis Research Conference sa Colorado, USA; Annual Medical Cannabis Conference ng Medical University of South Carolina, USA; Australian Medical Cannabis Symposium sa Brisbane, Australia; at ang International Medical Cannabis Conference sa Tel Aviv, Israel.
“The DOH’s participation in similar international conferences is consistent with their mandate to adopt an evidence-based and scientific approach in the adoption of new strategies that will address emerging health needs which can include the adoption and use of medical cannabis,” dagdag niya.
Ayon din kay Padilla, sa Sec. 12, Art. XIII ng 1987 Constitution, kailangang tiyakin ng Estado ang “health manpower development and research that is responsive to the country’s health needs and problems.”
Iginiit nito ang Executive Order 102 na ang papel ng DOH bilang “innovator of new strategies for responding to emerging health needs and as the lead agency in health and medical research,” at binigyan ang DOH ang mandato para isulong ang “international linkages for technical collaboration.”
Ayon din kay Padilla, bagama’t “dangerous drug” ang cannabis sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, inaprubahan na ng Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) at Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ang paggamit ng cannabidiol (CBD) para sa mga pasyente ng epilepsy, tulad ng oral solution na Epidiolex para sa seizures na naiugnay sa “severe forms of epilepsy” noong 2020.
Maraming bansa na umano ang kumikilala sa therapeutic potential ng medical cannabis, habang ang World Health Organization (WHO) naman ay kumikilala sa scientific studies kung saan ang cannabis consumption ay nakakatulong sa pagbawas ng sakit at nausea, at sa paggamot ng sintomas ng “multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.”
Aniya, 70 bansa na ang nag-legalize ng medical cannabis, mula 50 noong 2019. Hindi rin bababa sa 26 bansa ang nagbibigay ng legal access sa high-THC cannabis.
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