MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 4, 2014) – Following Uruguay legalization of marijuana and Colorado’s law that allows the U.S. state as the first to sell the hemp for recreational use, now Filipino advocates of the free use of cannabis sativa also called on the Philippine government to relax its law on the medical use of the popular plant.
But Manila said unless Congress amends the law, it does not see the country legalizing the use of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said marijuana is considered a prohibited substance under the Philippines’ Dangerous Drugs Act.
“It’s proihibited under the Dangerous Drugs Act. It will remain as such until Congress amends it otherwise,” she said.
Valte said that while it is up to Congress whether to amend the present law to legalize marijuana, the substance will continue to be banned here.
But for now, she stressed Philippine law enforcers will continue to enforce the Dangerous Drugs Act, which outlaws the drug.
“As of the moment, the executive department implements the law as it is,” she said.
Northern Luzon is a known region for marijuana growers in the Philippines because of its cool climate. Despite the law against the use of marijuana, it is still the favorite of many users because it is cheap and readily available.
According to the website learnaboutmarijuanawa.org, the feeling of increased appetite after using cannabis has been documented for hundreds of years. This is often called the munchies. It is only recently that any scientific research has been conducted to understand why cannabis use has this effect.
The therapeutic uses of cannabinoids have also been investigated following observed increases in appetite and body weight in a number of human studies. Subsequently, marijuana – both illicit and synthetic preparations – has been used successfully to control wasting syndrome in patients with AIDS and cancer. The role of cannabis and endocannabinoids in appetite regulation has been extensively studied, but the association of cannabis use with weight in the general population is less known.
A recent study in the American Journal of Medicine also found that current marijuana use was associated with 16% lower fasting insulin levels and smaller waist circumferences, which may make it a useful tool in treating diabetes and obesity. Even though a correlation between marijuana use and weight loss or maintenance is increasingly being documented, little is still known about the mechanisms at play. With further research it is likely that the therapeutic benefits of marijuana for weight control can be better understood and controlled.
Medical cannabis or medical marijuana is increasingly gaining wide support. It refers to the use of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, as medical therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms.
The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years across many cultures. Cannabis has been used to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy and people with AIDS, and to treat pain and muscle spasticity; its use for other medical applications has been studied but there is insufficient data for conclusions about safety and efficacy. Short-term use increases minor adverse effects, but does not appear to increase major adverse effects.
Long-term effects are not clear, and there are safety concerns including memory and cognition problems, risk for dependence and the risk of children taking it by accident.
Medical cannabis can be administered by a variety of routes, including vaporizing or smoking dried buds, eating extracts, and taking capsules.
Synthetic cannabinoids are available as prescription drugs in some countries, examples include; dronabinol, available in the United States and Canada, and nabilone, available in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in most parts of the world, but the medical use of cannabis is legal in certain countries, including Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. In the US, federal law outlaws all cannabis use, while 20 states and the District of Columbia have legalized its use.
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