H U R S I N I

[THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES]
HURSINI [THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES]

ABSTRACT

Legalizing Marijuana in Philippines

Marijuana in the Philippines is controlled by the black market - and the government
has been unsuccessful in trying to curb its use and distribution. Many Filipinos have
asked to legalize the use of medical marijuana, but as of press time, the lobby has
been unsuccessful. Groups like the Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society support
families and patients like Ira, Sochi, and Romeo. They work on getting their stories
out and use these stories to convince legislators that they need access to an
alternative cure, which they see in cannabis. The successful lobbying of medical
marijuana has encouraged 69 house representatives to co-author HB4477. More and
more doctors, patients, and citizens have come out in support of it. It has gained
enough momentum that many hope that one day, the Philippines will become the
first Asian country to legalize the use of medical marijuana. House Bill No. 4477 or
the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act seeks to decriminalize the use of
the plant for patients with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, glaucoma,
epilepsy, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and lupus among others. The proposal is clear-cut,
and guards against the abuse of the plant. To regulate the use of cannabis,
proponents say that a Medical Cannabis Authority should be established and led by
a director general, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines, from a list of
physicians recommended by the secretary of Health. When it comes to getting access
to it, a recommendation made by a qualified Medical Cannabis Physician will be
given after completing a thorough medical assessment. After getting a
recommendation, Medical Cannabis cards will be issued to patients to draw the line
between them and non-patients. The issuance of the cards will have established rules
and regulations which include suspension, revocation, and confiscation upon abuse.
Medical Cannabis Compassionate Centers, with the proper licensing and
requirements, will also start operating. These centers will issue the physician-
recommended cards and will serve as dispensaries where patients can pick up their
medications from. The Philippines will also ensue the research of cannabis as a
treatment, joining other countries in a global revolutionary attempt to find a cure to
incurable diseases.

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CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Marijuana also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and Avast
number of other slang terms—is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded
leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa, the hemp plant. Some people smoke
marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints many use pipes, water pipes or
marijuana cigars called blunts.

Marijuana can also be used to brew tea and, particularly when it is sold or con
sumed for medicinal purposes, is frequently mixed into foods (edibles) such as
brownies, cookies, or candies. Stronger forms of marijuana include
sinsemilla tendedand concentrated resins containing high doses of marijuana’s activ
e ingredients, including honey like hash oil, waxy bidder, and hard amber like
shatter. These resins are increasingly popular among those who use them both
recreationally and medically.

Marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug that has many consequences

tousing it. People debate whether it should be legali'ed or not due to its pros andcon
s. Marijuana should not be legalized because it is a gateway drug to the legalization
of other drugs and has many bad effects on the users of it.

The importance of this study is to contribute knowledge about the good and
bad effect of the legalization of marijuana in the Philippines especially to those
students who are curious about trying this kind of drug. Another importance is that,
when this literature review finish, people will know if they have to support the
legalization of marijuana here in the Philippines or they have to disobey the
authorization of this issue. Also, people will know the effect of marijuana in
our body. Marijuana can cause addiction if people who always use this drug. And
also it is not good for our body. Marijuana can make people become crazy and loss
their mind that can cause sometimes in a murder or crime because they are out of
their mind

The researcher chose this topic is to know how many people are agreeing in
legalization of marijuana here in the Philippines as medicinal to cure diseases that
can only cure with the help of marijuana. Also to give information to the people who
are agree of legalization of marijuana, to know them that marijuana has a big impact
if marijuana is actually legal in our country. This study was conducted to analyze

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how informed the audience is in relation to marijuana and its legalization,

particularly on the effects.

THE HISTORY OF MARIJUANA

The cannabis or hemp plant originally evolved in Central Asia before

people introduced the plant into Africa, Europe, and eventually the Americas.
Hemp fiber was used to make clothing, paper, sails and rope, an d its seeds
were used as food. Because it’s a fast-growing plant that’s easy to cultivate and
has many uses, hemp was widely grown throughout colonial America and
at Spanish missionsin the Southwest. In the early 1600s,
the Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut colonies required farmers to grow
hemp. These early hemp plants had very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), the chemical responsible for marijuana’s mind-altering effects.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

By the late 1800s, cannabis extracts were sold in pharmacies and doctors’
offices throughout Europe and the United States to treat stomach problems
and other ailments.

Scientists later discovered that THC was the source of marijuana’s

medicinal properties. As the psychoactive compound responsible for
marijuana’s mind-altering effects, THC also interacts with areas of the brain
that are able to lessen nausea and promote hunger.

In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs
with THC that are prescribed in pill form (Marinol and Syndros) to treat
nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and loss of appetite in AIDs patients.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Senate leader cited Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002, which repealed the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972. Section 2 of RA
9165 states that, the government shall pursue an intensive and unrelenting campaign
against the trafficking and use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances
through an integrated system of planning, implementation and enforcement of anti-
drug abuse policies, programs, and projects. The government shall however aim to
achieve a balance in the national drug control program so that people with
legitimate medical needs are not prevented from being treated with adequate
amounts of appropriate medications, which include the use of dangerous drugs.

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According to Department of Health Administrative Order No. 4 s. 1992, the Bureau

of Food and Drugs—the agency that preceded the FDA—recognizes the need for
drugs and devices product/preparation which are not registered or are in the
process of registration in the Philippines by patients who are terminally or seriously
ill. The administrative order allows the agency to issue permits granting a
Specialized Institution and Specialty Society the privilege to avail of an unregistered
drug and device product through certain licensed establishment for certain
kind/type of patients, specific volume and period. The permit is allowed for patients
with HIV-AIDS, cancer, or life-threatening conditions. Doctors and specialists
requesting the special permit are required to include the estimated amount of the
unregistered drug the patient will need, the licensed drug/device establishment
through which the unregistered drug may be procured and the names and address
of the specialists qualified and authorized to use the product. Since marijuana is
illegal in the Philippines, there are no registered dispensaries or outlets to get them
from. Under the DOH administrative order, the drug establishment identified in the
application for a permit shall secure clearance to import from BFAD and its
applications and submit a certificate that the product is currently registered in the
country of origin and a true copy of the CSP issued to the Specialized Institution
(SI)/Specialty Society (SS).

RESEARCH GOAL

The main goal of this research is to educate the people especially the
young ones about how a marijuana works in our body. Awakening their
minds to know about the good and bad effects of marijuana.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study contributes to understanding of the fast emerging area of

recreational marijuana policy implementation by providing an analysis of the
ordinances adopted by Philippines communities. This analysis, along with the
evaluate tools developing effective policies for the regulation marijuana cultivation,
production, and distribution.

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theoretical and methodological approach for this study is grounded upon
three basic frameworks; governance theory, policy analysis, and comparable land
uses. These frameworks served as lenses by which to approach the study.

Governance Theory

The overarching theoretical framework for this study is urban governance. While
the meaning and use of the term “governance” varies, there is general agreement
that it refers to new governing styles that change the traditional relationship
between the public and private sectors. At its core, governance theory focuses on
“creation of a structure or an order which cannot be externally imposed but is the
result of the interaction of a municipality of governing and each other influencing
actors”. Governance theory recognizes the shift in responsibility away from
government entities toward the private and voluntary sectors, and more broadly, the
citizen.

The movement to legalize marijuana for medical in Philippines exemplifies the

shifting relationship between the public and private sectors. As a ballot initiative, 1-
502 was not lead by political elites, but rather by various private sector actors.

Policy Analysis

Similarly, planners and policy makers in Philippines use variety legal tools,
adapted to fit this governance construct, to regulate and control controversial land
uses in communities in order to protect public health and safety for decades. Thus,
this study is placed within a second theoretical lens; that of a policy analysis
framework. In a planning context, Policy tools regulate that location, density, and/or
behavior of a controversial land use in hopes of lessening potential negative effects.
Land use planning tools have been used to control, alcohol, tobacco, medical
marijuana dispensaries, adult entertainment, and may other controversial land uses
such urban agriculture and back yard burial.

1-502 is, in an attempt to create a safe, regulated legal marijuana economy,

designed to allow law enforcement resources to focus on other public safety
concerns, generate new tax revenue, take marijuana out of the hands of illegal drug
organizations, and prevent youth access. Although unintended consequence of 1-502
are still largely unknown, those that are apparent relate to land use and zoning
requirements, along with general confusion among local policy makers and planners
resulting from complex nature of the issue, legislation, and uncertainty around
federal drug law enforcement.

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Comparable Land Uses

Because legalized marijuana for medical use has never before been created in
Philippines, and since there are no pre-existing models, similar land uses and
regulation tools were examined with the hope that they might provide useful
comparative guidance. Based on article searches and literature reviews, four
comparable uses were identified: medical marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, and
controversial land uses. These comparable land uses provided, a third lens by which
to approach the study. Land use regulations and policy tools have been used to
control and regulate these activities and protect residents from perceived negative
externalities.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Legalization: the opposite of prohibition, or the total banning of a drug.

Legalization means that a drug would be treated “more or less the way we treat
other commodities: production, distribution, retail sale, possession, and use would
all be legal for all or most people”.

Marijuana license: “any person or entity that holds a marijuana license, or

any person or entity who is a true party of interest in a marijuana license.

Marijuana processor: “a person licensed by the state liquor control board to

process marijuana into useable marijuana-infused products for sale in retail outlets,
and sell useable marijuana and marijuana-infused at wholesale to marijuana
retailers”

Marijuana Producer: “a person licensed by the state liquor control board to

produce and sell marijuana at wholesale to marijuana processors and other
marijuana producers”

Marijuana-Infused Products: Products that contain marijuana extracts and

are intended for human use.

Marijuana Retailer: “a person licensed by the state liquor control board to

sell useable marijuana and marijuana-infused products in a retail outlet.

Medical Marijuana Dispensary: Distribution site for patients who have been
legally prescribed marijuana as a treatment for specified medical conditions.

Medical Marijuana Use: Refers to the use of cannabis and its constituent
cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol and other sickness, as
medical therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms.

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CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

“The issue of whether marijuana has medicinal benefits no longer seems to be in
question. Hundreds of scientific studies and thousands of testimonials from patients have established
marijuana’s effectiveness in controlling the nausea of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
and/or radiation; in enhancing appetites for AIDS patients who suffer a wasting syndrome or who
have adverse reactions to their HAART (highly active antiretroviral treatment) medications; in
reducing intraocular pressure for persons with glaucoma; in giving relief from spasms of muscular
dystrophy; and for relieving pain from dozens of other serious diseases.”

Apr.-June 1998 article titled “”Providing Medical Marijuana: The Importance of Cannabis,” Journal
of Psychoactive Drugs

The quotation means the marijuana help to improve our quality of life but in a
good way. It has many benefits especially in medical purposes.

HISTORY

Marijuana has been used as medicine and a way of achieving euphoria since
ancient times. The first reference to its use is in a Chinese medical manual dating
back to around 2700 B.C. Chinese legend states that its usefulness in treating
rheumatism, gout, malaria and, oddly enough, absent-mindedness was documented
by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung — known as the Father of Chinese Medicine.

European and American legislators began to ban the use of drugs. First, there
was an Opium Convention in 1912 and the Harrison Act of 1914 that, for the first
time, defined use of cannabis and other drugs as a crime. By 1925, cannabis was
banned or restricted in thirteen countries, including the United States. For some
reason, this law did not go into effect until 1938.

It was in the 1920s that marijuana began to catch on. Some historians say its
emergence was brought about by Prohibition. Its recreational use was largely
restricted to jazz musicians and people in show business. “Reefer songs” became the
rage of the jazz world. Marijuana clubs called tea pads sprang up in every major
city. These marijuana establishments were tolerated by the authorities because
marijuana was not illegal and patrons showed no evidence of making a nuisance of
themselves or disturbing the community. Marijuana was not considered a social
threat.

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RESEARCH METHOD

The researcher made use of the descriptive method in obtaining important

information about the topic.

Some procedures undertaken were:

ARCHIVAL DATA RESEARCH- The researcher has able to gather second

hand information through published books, articles, journals, and different
guidelines and standards that has something to do with the topic.

INTERNET RESEARCH- The researcher made use of the internet to gather

important and innovative information’s and about marijuana, and other
related topics.

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS- The researcher

conducted survey questionnaires and personal interviews to get the opinions
and thoughts of the public that will be used as a guiding instrument for the
design of the proposed project.

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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

SOURCE OF DATA

 Information was gathered from relevant articles

found on the internet through interviews and consultations with experts in order
to understand the problem well and to be able to deliver the piece of information
to the society

GATHERING DATA PROCEDURES

 Photographs
- Pictures were essential in the gathering of data,
researcher would go over and examine the and finally come up
with a better understanding of the problem.
 Books and Reference Materials
- Book from the library of San Nicolas National
High school and additional reference materials such as magazines,
books, encyclopedia and dictionaries.
 Internet Search
- Most of information was accumulated through
relevant websites, webpages, and articles that were found in the
World Wide Web.
 Interviews and Consultations
- Interviews and consultations with the
individuals, government agencies, and associated expertise were
conducted to gain knowledge of their expertise are needed for the
research.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENTS

 Digital camera
 Books from the library of San Nicolas National
Highschool
 Magazines, brochures, and newspapers
 Internet

RATIONALE

 Based on the data information gathered using

different techniques, important information and insight were acquired
which are useful in the research to the sited problems. This was
acquired from the different concerned and offices.

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THE RESEARCH PATTERN

LOOKING FOR RESEARCH TITLE

SURVEY

`
DATA AND INFORMATON
GATHERING

APPROVAL OF
PROJECT
PROPOSAL

STUDY OF RELATED PROJECTS

RESEARCH
ON BOOKS,
MAGAZINES,
AND
BROCURES

CONSULTATION OF PROFESSIONALS
AND
CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS

SOLUTION
TO
PROBLEMS

COMPILATION OF DATA

APPLICATION

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Research Question

This research is guided by the following questions:

1. Is marijuana still illegal at the federal level?

2. What factors described the similarities and differences that exist in these
marijuana legalization ordinances.

Under the federal government's scheduling system, marijuana is considered a

schedule 1 substance — a classification that means it's perceived to have a high
potential for abuse and no medical value.

Supporters of legalization consider marijuana's current schedule absurd.

Advocates point to growing research supporting medical marijuana. And they argue
marijuana in no way represents as big a threat to people, even drug abusers, as other
schedule 1 substances like heroin and schedule 2 substances like cocaine.

The federal government, in return, argues that there isn't enough evidence to
prove marijuana has medical value. A 2006 Health and Human Services review of
marijuana's schedule found several barriers to rescheduling it: no studies proved the
drug's medical efficacy in controlled, large-scale clinical environments; no studies
established adequate safety protocols for marijuana; and marijuana's full chemical
structure has never been characterized and analyzed.

Research Design

A content analysis mythology was used to evaluate how Philippines

municipalities were addressing marijuana for medical use in their land use
ordinances. Drawing from protocols and convention in the policy evaluation
literature, six categories were identified to evaluate the ordinances. Fact base, Goals,
Definitions, Locational Control Policies, Operational Control Policies, and other
policies. For each category. A set of indicators were identified based on literature on
medical marijuana control policies, tobacco-control policies, alcohol control policies,
and controversial land use control policies, along with Philippines and federal
marijuana laws and policies.

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Evaluation Instrument

Land use ordinances elating to medical use of marijuana were evaluated using 53
indicators distributed across six categories. The indicators were synthesized from
various research articles related to the following:

 Local tobacco control policies

 Local alcohol control policies
 Local medical marijuana dispensary policies
 Marijuana Legalization Considerations
 Regulation of controversial land uses

Data Gathering Procedure

The landscape of marijuana laws has changed significantly over the past year. Of
the five states with legalized or medical marijuana on the ballot, California,
Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine all voted to fully legalize the use, cultivation
distribution and sale of marijuana. Currently, a total eight states and Washington,
DC will have fully legalized marijuana. Because of the sheer size of California, it is
estimated 21 percent of US Citizens now live somewhere with access to legal
cannabis. In one of our most recent studies, published in the International Journal of
Drug Policy, looked at 94 adults in Denver and Seattle. Our researchers found that
many of the adults in the study are not reading labels, and if they are, information is
often hard to decipher. The lack of clear information on edible labels can lead to
accidental ingestion.

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CHAPTER IV: RESULTS and DISCUSSION

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CHAPTER V: SUMMARY and CONCLUSIONS

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REFERENCES:

https://www.narconon.org/drug-information/marijuana-history.html

http://medicalcannabisreport.com/general-quotes-on-medical-use-of-cannabis-
and-prohibition/

https://www.history.com/topics/crime/history-of-marijuana

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