CamSur Rep. Villafuerte: Marijuana as ‘healing plant’ can be a cash crop

MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. on Tuesday pressed  the government to create a Philippine Cannabis Development Authority, noting the potential income that may be derived from marijuana as a “healing plant.”

At the House committee hearing on dangerous drugs on House Bill 4208, Villafuerte touted cannabis’ benefits and called for an agency to regulate the plant.

“I really truly believe that cannabis is a healing compound, healing plant,” he said. “More than that, it can be a cash crop.”

READ: Medicinal cannabis legalization: It’s high time for the Philippines

According to the lawmaker, the proposed agency would aid in the “research, promotion, and cultivation” of marijuana, also known as cannabis or hemp.

“We need an agency to strictly focus on the product, on cannabis,” he pointed out.

Further explaining, Villafuerte likened the proposed agency to the managing functions of the Philippine Coconut Authority. The coconut is considered the country’s top cash crop.

READ: Israeli desert town aims to be medical ‘cannabis capital’

Villafuerte cited China’s legal marijuana billion-dollar industry that provides more than half of the world’s supply. He said the Philippines must strive to have a share of the market.

The cultivation and use of marijuana in the country is illegal under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

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