Marijuana Legalization Will Boost Benguet Economy, Says Governor

Benguet provincial governor Cresencio Pacalso, during his recent State of the Province Address, says that the legalization of marijuana and its cultivation will boost the local economy. The governor said this in reaction to news that the bill for the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes was getting a positive response from the legislators.

In a report in Interaksyon, Pacalso said that if the bill becomes a law, it will bring good news to Benguet folks as cultivation will become a legal horticultural activity. Benguet and other provinces in the Cordilleras are conducive for growing marijuana because of its cool climate and soil, according to Gov. Pacalso.

Marijuana Legalization For Medical Purposes Only

House Bill No. 180, also known as the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, has been endorsed by 24 per cent of the members of the lower house, according to an Inquirer special report. The bill was originally filed by Isabela representative Rodito T. Albano III, and has been supported by the Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society (PCCS), a group of cannabis advocates.

The push for legalization also has an unlikely advocate: President Rodrigo Duterte told media at the start of his administration that he was in favor of medical marijuana. He also said that he was against the use of marijuana for recreational purposes and that he will make sure that “stricter implementation” will be done.

Cannabis Advocates Say Many Will Benefit From Medical Marijuana

In the same report, the PCCS say that as many as 300 patients have come forward asking for access to medical marijuana. They have received letters from patients and parents of children who are in need.

Former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez Tan is also an advocate. Serving as a resource person during deliberations on the bill, he told Congress that it has been proven by studies and actual use to be effective in pain management. He also said that ““It is a safer and cheaper way to treat patients,” compared to other medical options like morphine.

The bill also has provisions for stricter control of its cultivation and its use, as well as the involvement of the Department of Health and the establishment of a Medical Cannabis Compassionate Center.