Should Medicinal Marijuana be legalized in the Philippines?

Prepared by:
Mario Dimaano Jr
Augustine Joseph Ludovice

Submitted on:
March 10, 2017
 Chapter I- Background of the Study

I. Introduction

What is medicinal Marijuana? Can it really cure disease and disorders? Should
medicinal marijuana be legalized in the Philippines?

For some people, Marijuana is an addicting drug that can be found in a form of
cigarette and it can destroy someone’s life, but we do not acknowledge the positive effects of
this drug. The term “medicinal marijuana” refers to using the whole unprocessed marijuana
plant or its basic extract to cure a disease or symptom. Marijuana contains a chemical
compound called Cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids are responsible for Marijuana’s effect on the body and the reason to get
high. Because the Marijuana plant contains chemicals that may help treat a range of illnesses
or symptoms, many people argue that it should be legal for medical purposes. THC or
“Tetrahydrocannabinol” is also an active ingredient that may be found in the marijuana plant.
Marijuana is said to cure illnesses like Glaucoma, epileptic seizures and it slows the spreading
of cancer cells. Marijuana can also reduce or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Legalizing Marijuana in the Philippines would be helpful in terms of medication. At the

same time, legalizing Marijuana can increase the number of drug users and pushers.
Marijuana is almost the same with tobacco and alcohol which can cause death, but why
won’t they legalize Marijuana if it can save millions of lives?
II. Statement of the Problem

This paper aims to give answers to the following:

What are the positive effects of using marijuana?

What are the risks of using marijuana?

Why should medicinal marijuana be legalized here in the Philippines?

What can be the possible outcome when marijuana gets legalized here in the Philippines?

What can the government do to control the usage of marijuana to the public when it gets legalized?

III. Research Objective

 To cite the positive effects of Marijuana.

 To cite reasons why one should not be one-sided.
 To discuss the different reasons on why marijuana should be legalized here in the Philippines.
 To cite the possible outcomes when marijuana gets legalized in the Philippines.
 To cite the risks of using or legalizing marijuana.

IV. Significance of the Study

Marijuana has been considered by many as an addicting drug but at the same time, it may be used for
medical purposes. For the majority of the public, marijuana is simply a drug used to get high and feel good.
Because of these misperceptions, they forget about the positive side of the plant. It is important for us to explain
its uses and in what ways you can utilize its possible effects. And to provide information that would be necessary
in decision making and implementation of policies.

This study shall be beneficial to the following:

Filipino Citizen – This study is significant for the public because they need to know the positive and negative
effects of marijuana to a person and not be one-sided.

Marijuana users – The researchers aim to cite the effects of their addiction to their physical and mental health.

Poor families – This study is significant for the poor families because they need to find ways to treat their illness
or condition without spending so much money from buying medicines.

Philippine Government – This research provides information that would be necessary in decision making and
implementation of government.

V. Scope and Limitation

The research will tackle the effects of marijuana to the Filipino people. This would also tackle the
possible outcomes when marijuana gets legalized in the Philippines. This research will show the different illness
and conditions marijuana could heal. However, this paper shall not discuss the effects of other types of drug to
the public.

Chapter II-Review of Literature and Studies

I. Related Literature

Local

According to CNN Philippines (2015), Ambassador Manuel Teehankee, a medical and law expert, had
stated that public discussions can be helpful with the implementation of laws of the government. Debating
about legalization of Marijuana is an effective way to suggest ideas to the government from the words exchange
by the people debating in a certain topic.

Foreign

According to Business Insider (2014), more than 20 countries have legalized marijuana. New laws will
be helpful to the researchers with their investigation about the effects of marijuana to a person’s body.

We have to keep in mind that when people tend to overuse marijuana on non-medical purposes, it can
lead to negative effects.

According to New York Times (2017) even most of the countries have legalized marijuana still, the
federal government continues to prevent scientist to research about marijuana’s positive and negative effects.
Scientists who want to have an investigation about marijuana shall seek for federal government approval and
have their research in only one lab, at the University of Mississippi.

The articles cite suggestions which involve the management of scientists who will have a further
research about the effects of marijuana to one’s body.

II. Related Studies

Local

According to scribd.com, a research paper conducted by caimanaquil_12 . If marijuana is to be legalized

in the Philippines, it would have numerous good and bad effects. Some of the possible positive effects of
legalizing the drug are the following. First, since marijuana is a highly addictive drug, the demand of marijuana
would drastically increase causing citizens of the Philippines to supply or engage in a legal business involving
marijuana in order to cope up with the high demand of the drug. In return, this provide more job opportunities
for the Filipinos and it can be a big contribution to the country’s income since it is legalized.

Meanwhile on the other hand, the possible negative effects are the following. The Filipino citizens will
be more focused on marijuana instead of being an intelligent, hard-working citizen. Instead of working for the
development of the country, it would be a country full of drug users. It would also affect the educational system,
as well as the other sectors of the country. The Philippines would be a society of drug users.

Foreign

According to Idealessaywrites.com, it is visible that the positive effects of legalizing marijuana outweigh
the possible negative effects. The inference from the above observation is that legalizing marijuana will go a long
way to advance the quality of living standards of people through its medicinal applications, relieving the criminal
justice system to focus on more grave crimes and enhance public safety, and increasing business opportunities
and tax revenue for the government. A combination of the above effects will lead to improved living standards.

According to Nicole Feldman (2016), the packaging of a certain item would affect on how a child would
react on it. Example is marijuana, if they would manufacture a less enticing packaging, the child would veer away
from it since he would see it uninteresting.

CHAPTER III- Research Framework

I. Theoretical Framework

The Gateway Theory: Marijuana Use and Other Drug Use

 Based on the Gateway Theory, it concerns two issues of great significance to assessing the public health
threat, if any, presented by marijuana use. One issue is whether or not use of marijuana is a valid predictor of
the use of more dangerous and more addictive drugs. Another issue is related, whether marijuana use
necessarily an indication of psychological or behavioral problems.

Studies indicate that the percentage of hard drug users among cannabis users is higher than among no-
users. But this does not mean that cannabis lead to the use of hard drugs. It also appears that the biochemical
changes induced by marijuana in the brain results in a drug-seeking, drug taking behavior, which in many
instances will lead the user to experiment with other pleasurable substances. People who support marijuana
prohibition have long argued that marijuana use may not appear harmful to an individual, but is a marker that
the individual is ultimately headed for trouble as a result of their marijuana use.

II. Conceptual Framework

The Gateway Theory

1st 2nd
Issue Issue
Marijuana maybe a valid Marijuana use is a
predictor of the use of necessarily an indication
more dangerous and of psychological or
more addictive drugs behavioral problems.

III. Hypothesis

A. Alternative
There is a significant effect of marijuana to the Filipinos
 B. Null
There is no significant effect of marijuana to the Filipinos

IV. Operational Hypothesis

Medicinal Marijuana- is mainly used in order to treat severe health cases like cancer and glaucoma

Government- is a system by which a state of community is controlled.

Users- refers to people who use marijuana medically or non-medically.

Implementation- actions taken by the government to set laws.

Policies- laws that are implemented by the government.