Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

A marijuana plant in Vancouver, Canada, on October, 17, 2018. Nearly a century of marijuana prohibition came to an end Wednesday as Canada became the first major Western nation to legalize and regulate its sale and recreational use. In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 -- about 15 percent of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke. Don MacKinnon, AFP/file

Article (news)

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177190470452120181017-marijuana-plant-AFP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A marijuana plant in Vancouver, Canada, on October, 17, 2018. Nearly a century of marijuana prohibition came to an end Wednesday as Canada became the first major Western nation to legalize and regulate its sale and recreational use. In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 -- about 15 percent of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke. Don MacKinnon, AFP/file</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>— The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, jointly with the Committee on Health, on Tuesday approved a consolidated bill seeking to legalize medical cannabis, reviving a measure that has been filed in previous Congresses but has yet to become law.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/12/10/20/cannabis-still-a-dangerous-drug-says-ph-anti-narcotics-body">Cannabis still a &#x27;dangerous drug,&#x27; says PH anti-narcotics body</a></div><p>The measure, approved during a hearing co-chaired by Representatives Jonathan Keith Flores and Ciriaco Gato Jr., grants compassionate access to medical cannabis, expands research into its medicinal properties, and establishes a regulatory framework covering patient access, authorized use, and penalties for prohibited acts.</p><p>Committee deliberations focused on consolidating several House bills, with debate centering on new provisions under House Bill No. 317.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/05/17/advocates-assure-of-strict-access-to-medical-marijuana-if-legalized">Advocates assure of strict access to medical marijuana if legalized</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>CAUTION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Dangerous Drugs Committee chairperson Jonathan Keith Flores cautioned against expanding the bill beyond medical use.</p><p>“We&#x27;re trying to slowly open up not just our eyes and our minds to cannabis on this issue. That&#x27;s why we&#x27;re limiting it to medical cannabis muna on these bills,” Flores said.</p><p>Government agencies expressed support for medical cannabis while emphasizing strict safeguards.</p><p>“The bill’s under consideration in keeping the mandate of the agency of maintaining the balance between the national drug control policy of the government and giving access to people with legitimate needs for medications,” a representative from the Dangerous Drugs Board stated.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2024/12/19/padilla-pushes-for-medical-cannabis-anew-1812">Padilla pushes for medical cannabis anew</a></div><p>The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency echoed support but highlighted the need for strong regulatory measures, including a prescription monitoring system and a research and development fund.</p><p>“We fully support the introduction and eventual passage of a bill giving access to medical marijuana or medical cannabis,” the agency said, noting that these controls would help prevent misuse.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/12/13/22/should-medical-cannabis-use-be-allowed-in-philippines">Should medical cannabis use be allowed in Philippines?</a></div><p>“We fully support the proposed bills provided there must be a strict regulatory system to ensure that medical cannabis is used solely for compassionate medical treatment and scientific research,” the Philippine National Police said, stressing their support with strict oversight.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PUBLIC HEALTH</strong></div><p>Health and human rights groups framed the measure as a public health and human rights issue.</p><p>“We want to emphasize that right to health, right to life, quality of life and access to health must be and always be included and should be the framework of each bill,” the UP Institute of Human Rights emphasized.</p><p>They also stressed that access to medical cannabis should always be on the top priority and free from discrimination.</p><div><a href="https://metro.style/wellness/health/legalization-of-cannabis-in-the-philippines/38686">Destigmatizing and Legalizing Marijuana in the Philippines</a></div><p>“We&#x27;re not passing this bill and we&#x27;re not creating these agencies in order to facilitate the entry of drug lords into the industry. We are bringing in the proper people with the proper credentials,” said Rep. Brian Poe as he clarified the bill’s intent amid concerns about commercialization.</p><p>Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, marijuana &quot;cultivation, possession, use, sale, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation&quot; remain punishable.</p><p>Cannabis remains under Schedule I of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which limits exclusively to medical and scientific purposes the production, manufacture, export, import, distribution, and possession of such substance.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCTYHyf93cY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WSFEuetalYk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, jointly with the Committee on Health, on Tuesday approved a consolidated bill seeking to legalize medical cannabis, reviving a measure that has been filed in previous Congresses but has yet to become law.</p>

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, jointly with the Committee on Health, on Tuesday approved a consolidated bill seeking to legalize medical cannabis, reviving a measure that has been filed in previous Congresses but has yet to become law.

House panels OK consolidated bill to legalize medical cannabis

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House panels OK consolidated bill to legalize medical cannabis

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 24, 2026 11:51 AM PHT

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Updated February 24, 2026 07:17 PM PHT

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