Medical Cannabis Is One Step Closer to Reality — House Panels Approve Bill to Legalize It for Patients
After years of failed attempts, the push to legalize medical cannabis in the Philippines just cleared a major hurdle. The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, jointly with the Committee on Health, approved a consolidated bill that would allow regulated medical use of cannabis — while keeping recreational marijuana firmly illegal.
Under the proposed law, patients with specific debilitating or chronic medical conditions could access cannabis in pharmaceutical forms like oil and capsules. They'd need a prescription from a DOH-accredited physician and would obtain the medication only through licensed Medical Cannabis Compassionate Centers.
The bill would create a Medical Cannabis Office under the Department of Health to oversee licensing for cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution. Importantly, cannabis would remain classified as a dangerous drug under RA 9165 — the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act — meaning unauthorized possession and use would still carry penalties.
Even the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has expressed support for the measure, though it stressed the importance of strong regulatory safeguards including a prescription monitoring system and a dedicated research and development fund. The bill also aims to expand scientific research into cannabis' medicinal properties.
This isn't the first time Congress has tried — previous versions passed the House in earlier sessions but never became law. The measure now heads to the plenary for further debate and voting. If it survives there, it would still need Senate approval before reaching the President's desk.
Source: Daily Tribune
