Torregrosa, Christianne Marie L. PHIL 1
SY1325 PROF. OCHANGO

POSITION PAPER
“Should Philippines legalize Marijuana for curing diseases?” INTRODUCTION Definition of Terms

Cannabis- commonly known as marijuana and by numerous other names, is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug and as medicine. (Wiki)
Legalize- is the process of removing a legal prohibition against something which is currently not legal.
Disease- an illness that affect a person, animal, or a plant: condition that prevents the body or mind from normally.

BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANT OF STUDY
"Modern research has confirmed the beneficial uses of cannabis in treating and alleviating the pain, nausea and other symptoms associated with a variety of debilitating medical conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and HIV-AIDS as found by the National Institute of Medicine of the US in March 1999," Six legislators have expressed their support to the proposal to legalize the regulated use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, Pasay City Rep. Emi Calixto-Rubiano, OFW partylist Rep. Roy Señeres, Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes, Masbate Rep. Elisa Olga Kho, and Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal all co-authored House Bill 4477. Under the bill, or the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act, the State is directed to provide measures to achieve a balance in the national drug control program so that patients with debilitating medical condition may receive adequate amount of treatment and appropriate medications from the regulated use of dangerous drugs. It provides the legalization and regulation of the medical use of cannabis which has been confirmed to have beneficial and therapeutic uses to treat chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition that produces one or more of the following: cachexia or