Pubdate: Wed, 01 Dec 2004
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2004
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Ana Marie Pamintuan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

POTTED

Ours is the generation that inhaled, so we don't turn apoplectic over the 
proposal to legalize marijuana. But even those who are willing to admit 
that they have tried pot at least once in their lives have reservations 
about the proposal, which has earned Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo a 
considerable amount of flak.

The main endorser of the proposal is Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao, whose 
constituents are among the biggest cultivators of marijuana in this 
country. But since the reaction to mention of his name is "Chungalao who?" 
while everyone knows the eldest son of President Arroyo, it's Congressman 
Mikey who has drawn much of the heat.

Critics are wondering if either Mikey or Chungalao is a pothead. As long as 
marijuana is illegal in this country, I don't think any congressman will 
admit being a regular user, unless he's high on something.

But even if Chungalao has tried pot, I don't think he made the proposal 
simply because he wants freedom to enjoy cannabis. Some of his arguments do 
make sense. The main problem is that in a land where law enforcement is a 
joke, allowing the limited cultivation and use of marijuana for medical 
purposes is sure to be abused.

If the proposal pushes through, that limit will never be enforced, 
marijuana use will spread beyond medicinal purposes, and there will be a 
new source of corruption for authorities.

In this country, this is an idea whose time has not yet come. * * * In the 
United States, the Supreme Court deliberated Monday whether the federal 
government could prosecute medicinal users of marijuana.

While there are still no marijuana or hashish "coffee shops" in the US as 
in the Netherlands, cultivation, purchase and use of marijuana for medical 
needs on a doctor's recommendation are allowed in 11 states: Alaska, 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, 
Vermont and Washington. Reports said there are 100,000 medical users of 
marijuana in California alone. There are moves for limited legalization in 
other states.

Cancer and chronic pain patients in particular say marijuana has been 
effective for them where dozens of regular painkillers have failed. Anyone 
who has ever tried marijuana will probably agree about the potency of the 
stuff.

The US court debate centers on concerns that it's hard to tell when a 
person is using marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. If a 
certification is required, well, if dollars and passports can be faked, how 
much easier to fake a health certificate for cannabis use?

Concerns have also been raised over the difficulty of preventing the 
transport of marijuana from one state where its limited use is allowed to 
another where the weed is completely banned.

All those problems should be considered as certain quarters continue to 
push for the medical use of marijuana in the Philippines. Apart from 
considering the plight of cancer patients, Chungalao has other arguments 
for his cause. The Cordilleras supply about 70 percent of marijuana in the 
Philippines. The country shares top billing with Thailand and Cambodia in 
being the largest producers of cannabis in Southeast Asia, according to the 
2004 United Nations World Drug Report.

Chungalao says poverty forces Cordillera residents to make marijuana their 
cash crop, and allowing the limited cultivation of cannabis could ease the 
poverty. With the country having some of the toughest drug laws, those 
impoverished cultivators could face death or a life term if caught. And 
there's the other problem: law enforcers have failed to make a dent in the 
marijuana trade since its use became popular decades ago.

The typical Pinoy reaction to this line of reasoning is that you don't 
legalize prostitution because sex workers are poor, and you don't legalize 
jueteng because law enforcers can't do their job. Those for marijuana 
legalization ask: So what's wrong with using pot? It's a "soft drug" that's 
often used to intensify the effects of other drugs or alcohol. By itself 
marijuana won't drive a user nuts or make him violent - an effect you get 
from shabu - unless the user is by nature a violent person prone to 
criminal behavior. It's a mood enhancer; some men swear smoking pot 
improves sex.

There are debates on whether marijuana is addictive; proponents of 
legalization say alcohol and nicotine are far more addictive. And while 
alcohol is bad for the liver and uric acid and nicotine is bad for 
everything, the jury is still out on what exactly gets damaged with regular 
marijuana use.

There are substances that are classified as prohibited drugs but are 
allowed for medical use, such as morphine, Thorazine, barbiturates. Cough 
syrups used to be popular among local drug abusers because the cough 
preparations contained an ingredient in the same category as 
methamphetamine or speed, until the pharmaceutical companies took that 
component out.

If marijuana is so benign, why is it illegal? The weed is suspected to 
damage chromosomes, which is bad for reproduction. It is suspected to leave 
lasting brain damage. Plus it has been part of the cocktail of 
mood-enhancing, mind-altering illegal substances people have been abusing 
for such a long time that many people think any argument for its positive 
use can only come from vile potheads with red eyes and bad breath. Some 
people argue that it's all in the mind, that its classification as a taboo 
substance enhances the marijuana mystique, especially for adventurous, 
bored teenagers. Protecting the youth is one of the biggest arguments for 
the continued total ban on marijuana. It may all be in the mind, but 
impressionable young minds could get into major trouble when they think 
they can blame marijuana use for misbehavior.

The best way to dispel the mystique of anything, the other argument goes, 
is to legalize it. Which teenager will still be interested in getting high 
on something his cancer-suffering grandpa is using? Or that his hopelessly 
old-fashioned father smokes after dinner while listening to California 
Dreamin'?

Now that could work in demystifying marijuana. But before complete 
legalization, we have to try the limited version. And that won't work - not 
now, not in the Philippines.

Chungalao and Mikey Arroyo will have to give it a rest, or else relocate to 
another country.
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