By Jon Hiltz
President Rodrigo Duterte is known worldwide for his zero-tolerance policy on drugs. He is responsible for bringing forth one of the bloodiest drug wars in modern history, complete with full permission for police and regular citizens to carry out extrajudicial killings. This is in an effort to “cleanse” his country of drug dealers and users.
Regardless of this medieval stance, Duterte has surprisingly gone on record in favor of medical marijuana.
Now, a bill has been introduced for approval in the Philippines Senate that would legalize medicinal marijuana and other drugs with medicinal value, if they are properly prescribed. If adopted, the move would allow the Philippines to look at drug use through the lens of health care, as opposed to its current policy, which is to shoot first and ask questions later.
The bill introduced by Senator Risa Hontiveros would legalize “the delivery, possession, transfer, transportation, or use of cannabis and other dangerous drugs intended for medical use or to treat or alleviate a patient’s medical condition or symptoms associated with his or her debilitating disease.”
The bill stipulates that patients, caregivers, physicians or medical researchers who work with the product for intended medical purposes will be clear of any criminal liability.
There has been no reported response from President Duterte on this proposal, but the inclusion of “other dangerous drugs” as presented in the bill is in stark contrast to Duterte’s policy thus far.
Senator Hontiveros said in a statement that “There is a need for a new and sustainable strategy that is humane, rehabilitative and less susceptible to abuse. We cannot kill our way out of this problem.”
As the world adopts a more empathetic and sustainable approach to the failed war on drugs, the hope is that countries like the Philippines will also see the value in following suit.
Unfortunately, to the dismay of the thousands of widows, grieving parents, children without a mother or father, and others who have been unintended collateral damage in this unnecessary violence, so far it seems Duterte has not been listening.
Perhaps this new bill will be too loud to ignore.
