Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who used profanity to describe the classification of cannabis as a dangerous drug, argues that its legalization would generate revenues for the government
A House panel for the first time in the 19th Congress under the Marcos administration took up a bill seeking to decriminalize the production, sale, and use of cannabis in the Philippines.
The lower chamber’s dangerous drugs committee chaired by Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte’s 2nd District moved to form a technical working group (TWG) with the health committee to flesh out the bill filed by former House Speaker and current Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez.
In his speech, Alvarez used colorful language to describe the current state of cannabis in the country.
“The classification of cannabis and its derivatives, as a dangerous drug, is bullsh*t. It makes no sense at all. And we must correct this absurdity,” he said on Tuesday, February 21.
“If the government allows harmful products like alcoholic beverages, cancer-causing cigarettes, and diabetes-bringing sugary drinks, why can’t we decriminalize the production and sale of a substance that is less harmful, has many benefits, and can be a source of government revenue?” Alvarez said.
The former House leader also argued that legalizing marijuana in the Philippines would generate wealth that the government can use for its programs and projects.
“We can decriminalize cannabis and its derivatives, and we can collect billions worth of taxes from its production and sale. We can use the added revenues to build more roads and bridges, more classrooms and hospitals, and more public service in pursuit of the common good. We can also use the extra taxes collected to help our country pay for our deep debt brought on by the economic crisis during the pandemic,” Alvarez said.
What the bill says
Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the amended Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, lists cannabis as a dangerous drug and substance.
Individuals convicted of cultivating marijuana, and possessing 10 grams of marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil, as well as 500 grams or more of marijuana, face a fine of up to P10 million and life imprisonment.
Alvarez’s proposal,House Bill No. 6783, seeks to exclude cannabis, cannabis resin and extracts, and tinctures of cannabis from the list.
Batanes Representative Ciriaco Gato expressed concern that the delisting of cannabis would pave the way for the recreational use of marijuana.
“I am thinking that while alcohol and tobacco are really bad, marijuana is also bad. As to which is more harmful, I think it depends on the amount,” Gato said, arguing that a variety of cannabis has negative effects. “Marijuana just like alcohol has some effects from a medical and social standpoint.”
The dangerous drugs committee also seeks to conduct further review on the subject.
“I would like to listen first to the opinions of all the members, and opinions of the experts,” Barbers told Rappler when asked whether he would back the measure and eventually defend it at the House plenary.
“A lot of discussions will have to be made because if the proponent’s intention is to delist it, there must be some basis as to why he wants to delist it,” he said. “Before we pursue the idea of making it available for sale, it has to be delisted [from the list of dangerous drugs].”
Aside from the bill filed by Alvarez, there are also multiple bills referred to the health committee seeking to legalize medical marijuana.
That panel has yet to take up such measures, chairman Gato told Rappler, but he said he is in favor of medical, regulated marijuana.
The House, led by then-Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the 17th Congress,already approved a billseeking to legalize medical marijuana, but the proposal languished in the Senate. The lower chamber in the 18th Congress, however, failed to move past the TWG level.– Rappler.com
Pakistan National Assembly Recommends Amendments To Cannabis Control Bill – to regulate cultivation of cannabis plant, extraction, refining, manufacturing and sale of derivatives of the plant for medical and industrial use
ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence on Wednesday unanimously recommended amendments in ‘The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Bill’ to make it in conformity with the Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs, 1961.
The third meeting of the standing committee was held at the Parliament House here under the chairmanship of Fateh Ullah Khan, MNA. On presentation of the bill, the committee was informed that Pakistan being a signatory to the Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs, 1961, was required to establish an agency of the government to regulate cultivation of cannabis plant, extraction, refining, manufacturing and sale of derivatives of the plant for medical and industrial use.
The committee was informed that the same was the reason behind introducing ‘The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024’ in the National Assembly. After extensive debate, the committee while proposing certain amendments in ‘The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024’ unanimously recommended that the National Assembly, on consideration of these amendments, may pass the said bill.
The Massachusetts CCC descended into total chaos today, after a scheduled 10am meeting to discuss internal Commission governance started 30 or so minutes late and without the presence of acting CCC Chair Ava Concepcion.
Then, in shocking moments (depicted in the video below), the three remaining CCC Commissioners (Chair Shannon O’Brien is currently suspended) were unable to come to consensus as to who would serve as Chair in Concepction’s absence.
Commissioner Kimberly Roy, who was running the meeting, noted her previous disagreements with CCC legal counsel related to a Fall, 2023, delegation memo by O’Brien making Roy acting-Chair. CCC staff, shockingly, overrode that memo (however, it is quite likely that legal decision is under review by state oversight authorities).
A motion to make Commissioner Kimberly Roy failed 2-1, with Commissioner Nurys Camargo voting no, just minutes after Camargo made remarks about how much work there was to be done that day, and why the CCC needed to pick an acting chair quickly.
Camargo then turned down the opportunity to be acting Chair, and a motion to make Stebbins chair was voted down 2-1 (with Roy in opposition).
In turn, the CCC was forced to take a recess because they cannot move forward with today’s agenda in the absence of an agreement as to who will serve as acting chair.
I will have an update as soon as the CCC returns to session.
Authorities in Guyana have seized a semi-submersible vessel used in drug trafficking in one of the country’s jungles, Interpol said. The seizure was part of a broader operation to tackle drug trafficking and theft in more than two dozen countries, the law enforcement agency said.
Interpol said the homemade “narco submarine” The boat intercepted in Guyana could carry as much as 3 tons of cocaine at a time. The boat warned that smugglers in the region could send such semi-submarines down the rivers of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean and eventually arrive in Western Europe.
The “narco sub” was seized along with 615 tons of illegal drugs and 505 tons of precursor chemicals worth $1.6 billion, as well as 65 stolen cars, in 31 different countries, Interpol said. The international law enforcement agency coordinated the effort, dubbed Operation Lionfish Hurricane, between April and May in a bid to crack down on drug trafficking networks in South America, Africa and Europe.
According to Interpol, their operation led to 206 arrests. Authorities seized more than 56 tons of cocaine and 52 tons of other drugs, including marijuana, ketamine and tramadol, a prescription opioid that is strictly regulated in several countries due to its high potential for abuse and dependence. The United Nations has noted a sharp increase in the trafficking of tramadol in various parts of the world over the past decade.