PDEA OK with Catriona Gray’s stand on medical marijuana
Catriona Gray of the Philippines smiles after being crowned the new Miss Universe 2018 on Dec. 17, 2018 in Bangkok. (Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which has just released the updated government data on the war on drugs, approves of the stand of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray on the use of marijuana for therapeutic purposes, an opinion she voiced out during the question-and-answer portion of the pageant on Monday.
“Malinaw naman po. Maganda yung sagot niya: If it’s for medical use [she approves of it],” PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon said on Tuesday.
“She even went on to say that she does not support recreational use,” he said. “So maganda po ‘yung sagot ng ating Miss Universe.”
[So our Miss Universe gave a good answer.]
READ: Philippines’ Catriona Gray is Miss Universe 2018
Carreon said House Bill No. 6517 — the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act — which seeks to legalize medical marijuana in the country strictly for therapeutic purposes, is already pending at the House of Representatives.
Article continues after this advertisement“Hayaan na po nating mag-debate ang mga mambabatas kung papaano po ito ipapatupad,” he said.
Article continues after this advertisement[Let the lawmakers debate on how they will implement it.]
“At the end of the day, yes, we are all for accessible use of any kind of medical preparations to the public,” he added. “But let it not be said na papayagan na ang paggamit ng marijuana per se.”
[But let it not be said that we will allow the use of marijuana per se.]
Just after Gray bagged the Miss Universe crown, Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said law enforcement agencies should be extra careful about medical marijuana so that it would not be abused should it be allowed.
READ: Here’s what the PNP chief thinks of Catriona Gray’s stand on medical marijuana
He expressed concern over the possible oversupply of marijuana in the country if it would be allowed for medical use.
In another statement on Tuesday, Albayalde maintained that any national policy to legalize or regulate the use of marijuana for medical purposes would require legislative action based on a study by health professionals.
“This can be best addressed by a multidisciplinary study, possibly with the Department of Health taking the lead,” he said.
He said the police alone could be the sole competent authority to recommend the regulation of medical marijuana.
“We can only provide inputs along the enforcement aspect of regulatory laws,” Albayalde said.
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