Marijuana as a Medicine: Tinuhoan sa Buktot

Drug syndicates do not just simply illegal drugs, they peddle idea. That is why illegal drugs are the country’s biggest business is because the idea that illegal drug is good for the user has been well received by the community. Have you not asked a drug addict why he is not afraid of using illegal drugs as it will destroy its body? What would be his answer: Shabu will not destroy the body as long as you it properly.

Now the Drug Syndicates have clouded the minds of the public and its legislatures by advocating for legalizing the use of marijuana. Its entry point is to legalize marijuana for the conduct of medical research. Up to now, there is no empirical data or research that would prove that marijuana has a medicinal use. Marijuana just like other illegal drugs makes the mind crazy.

The claim that marijuana is a medicine (my apology to hunchbacks) are what we call in our local language, TINUHUAN SA BUKTOT. Let us not forget that it was the veterans of the Vietnam War, mostly the Americans who came to the Philippines that propagated marijuana planting. It is these drug addicts that propagated the idea that marijuana cures and awakens the person’s appetite.

The marijuana uprooted in the mountains of Balamban, Cebu and San Fernando, Bukidnon were not wild plants they were sowed, planted and harvested using the modern agricultural method. Why? It is because it is good for the drug syndicates.

During the term of Senator Sotto as Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board we launched the Alternative Development Program to combat marijuana plantation. This is done by campaigning to our farmers that instead of planting marijuana other crops will be replaced. This is done with the help of the “Fiber Industry Development Authority” or FIDA under the Department of Agriculture.

Instead of supporting this program, these legislatures would be sabotaging the efforts to stop the marijuana planting and they will surely increase the proliferation the already easy access to marijuana by our students and the public.

There has been effort in the past to pass similar legislation but it was never successful. The Medical Society has been consistent in its opposition of making marijuana use legal. Philippines should not follow the United States which is clearly losing the war against drugs. The U.S. has adopted the defeatist attitude of just legalizing marijuana use because they could not stop its addicts from using drugs. It is a crap and foolish for the proponents of the legalization of marijuana use that it will not be abused as its purpose is for medical research. Look, the United States, in some states, are not conducting research, they are being abused. In fact, it is a misnomer and wrong choice of words to say that there is such a thing as marijuana abuse because every use of marijuana is abuse.

We should not discount the possibility that some of these proponents in congress maybe drug users. We should not forget that a member from Ilocos Sur was arrested in Hongkong. The latter admitted that he was a drug user, he was kicked out Congress however he again ran in the 2013 election and is now back in Congress. I have been persistent in my call that Congress should conduct random drug test for its members to find out if the perception of the public is true. There are those who admit that in the 70’s and 80’s they were marijuana users. Similar experiences to the citizens who support the call, where once marijuana use and up to now stupidly justify their being marijuana users as nothing wrong and were for medical purpose.

Why legalize the use of marijuana? It is because the Drug Syndicates would benefit from this. Never be convinced of the idea peddled that once the bill will be approved they will find a medicine for diseases and sickness. The most marijuana could give a sick person is HALLUCINATION. Senator Sotto is correct when he said that the effort to legalize marijuana use is a product of the hallucination.

Marijuana is a gateway drug, just like smoking cigarette. In 2009 when the Dangerous Drugs Board conducted random drug test to our high school students, the result was that the drug of choice for our youth was marijuana. Let us be vigilant, the Drug Syndicates will do everything to fool us and our youth. They do it unlawfully and sometimes lawfully.

The Dangerous Drugs Board, has come up with the theme for the 2014 Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week this November:

DRUG USE DISORDER CAN BE PREVENTED AND TREATABLE.
NO TO MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION.

May the misguided proponents of the bill be enlightened with the message and theme for our Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week.

About the Author: Clarence Paul V. Oaminal is a lawyer and author of ‘The Textbook on The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002’. He is the Vice-chairman and Undersecretary of the Dangerous Drugs Board and is the current adviser and presiding officer of Cebu City Anti-Drug Abuse Council. He also hosts the local advocacy program ‘Krimen ug Drugas’ in CCTN Channel 47.

Image Credit: www.huffingtonpost.com