THE position of newly appointed Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd on the use of marijuana for select medical cases may make it difficult for him to get the Commission on Appointment’s (CA) confirmation, a Senate leader warned on Thursday. “If he (Duque) insists on the bill, I will object to his confirmation,” Majority Leader Vicente Sotto 3rd , a known anti-drug advocate, said on Thursday. Duque has expressed support to the proposal allowing the “compassionate” use of medical marijuana or cannabis, which is being sought under House Bill 180 or the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Bill. The bill, authored by Rep. Rodolfo Albano 3rd, was passed in September by the committee on health of the House of Representatives. Sotto insisted, however, that there was no need for a bill because Republic Act 9165 allowed for the compassionate use of cannabis.

Source: Manila Times November 02, 2017 06:11 UTC