THE Dangerous Drugs Board yesterday reminded the public against the use of marijuana after a United Nations commission voted to remove cannabis from the list of the world’s most dangerous drugs.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, DBB chairman Catalino Cuy said marijuana remains a dangerous drug in the country and its “unauthorized importation, sale, possession, cultivation and use remains to be punishable under the law.”
“The DDB hopes that the reclassication of cannabis in international drug control convention will not send a wrong message to the public especially the youth that it is safe to use. It remains regulated because it is highly addictive and poses negative health, social and legal consequences,” said Cuy.
Cuy said government agencies “will remain steadfast in implementing measures to prevent the trafficking and unauthorized use of cannabis and other dangerous drugs.”
The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act classifies marijuana as a dangerous drug.
However, it allows medical laboratories and research centers to cultivate or culture marijuana “for medical experiments and research purposes.”
Last week, the UN Commission for Narcotics Drugs removed marijuana from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs where it was listed along with dangerous and highly addictive opioids like heroin.
However, it will remain under the lower Schedule I and continue to be subject to all levels of control of the 1961 convention.
“While cannabis has been removed from Schedule 4 of the international drug control convention, it remains to be a dangerous drug under Schedule 1,” said Cuy.
Cuy said the removal of cannabis from Schedule 4 means the CND acknowledged that “it may be therapeutic or it has medicinal value.”
“However, the medical preparations or products with cannabis still need to acquire and comply with the regulatory control requirements from the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) and other government agencies concerned and under RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, cannabis is still defined as a dangerous drugs,” said Cuy.
