"A Brief History of Medical Cannabis and its Recreational Use: Should Marijuana be Legal in the Philippines?"

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Overview

Cannabis or most commonly known as marijuana has been a hot issue worldwide today. It is one of the most abused drugs in the world and is illegal in most places of the globe due to its psychoactive effects. Marijuana is also a schedule 1 substance under federal Controlled Substance Act of 1970 which also makes the plant illegal. However, despite recent studies proving marijuana to have potential medical effects and recommending its use as medicine, authority continually considered it dangerous and should remain illegal. Until various researches have convinced some states in the US to discuss its probable benefits and even legalized and decriminalized the use of cannabis both for medical and recreational purposes. Today, 8 states in the United States have jurisdiction with legalized cannabis.

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“As of November 9, 2016, the use of both recreational and medicinal marijuana has been legalized in the states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.”

However in most places in the planet, marijuana constantly remain prohibited. But, if there have already been claims regarding its potential medical effects, then why do other countries continued to consider the use of marijuana unlawful?

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History of Marijuana Use and Prohibition

Cannabis has been long used as medicine even before Christ. Its use as herbal medicine was already practiced during ancient times as early as 2737 BC and was believed to be pioneered by early Asians. According to Mitch Earleywine in his book Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence,

“Chinese emperor Shen Neng prescribed cannabis tea for gout, malaria, beriberi, rheumatism and poor memory.”

There has also been evidence that ancient people have had already possessed knowledge about its psychoactive effects and that they may have produced varieties with higher percentage of THC – the chemical responsible for its mind-altering effects. Traces of burned cannabis seeds were also found in China and Siberia dating as early as 500 BC.

Long before cannabis was introduced to Americas and Europe, Asians have already used the plant for various purposes. During 2000-1400 BC, India has used cannabis for medicinal, religious, recreation and spiritual practices. In ancient Egypt, Ebers Papyrus, a medical papyrus of herbal knowledge had a record of cannabis having medical benefits dating as early as 1550 BC.

Similarly, on 100 AD in ancient China, cannabis was also labeled as a medicine in the book called Shennong Bencaojing. In its first volume, cannabis was listed among the 120 drugs which are harmless to humans. The herbs are also described as noble or upper herbs. And on 200 AD, the Chinese surgeons had already used cannabis as anesthetic during surgery.

“Hua Tuo, a Chinese surgeon, is the first recorded physician to use cannabis as an anesthetic during surgery. Hua Tuo ground the plant into powder, then mixed it with wine for a patient to drink before surgery.”

In the Middle East, the Muslims had also used cannabis for recreational purpose as a substitute to alcohol consumption as wine was forbidden in Koran. It was also the Muslims who introduced hashish throughout 12th century Persia and North Africa.

Cannabis was also used in the Middle Age Europe during 100-1000 AD to treat tumors, cough, and jaundice. However medieval physicians and herbalists had now cautioned that excessive use of it might cause other detrimental condition.

In the early 1800s, Irish doctor William O’Shaughnessy had discovered medical benefits of cannabis extract and suggested its use to lessen stomach pain and nausea. Scientist then discovered that the psychoactive compound of cannabis is responsible for these effects.

“Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism.”

However the USFDA was created to prevent drug addiction, they generally controlled and regulated the use of morphine and opium in drug production. This also marked the shift of drug policy in America.

The recreational practice of marijuana through smoking was introduced into America on early 1900s by Mexican immigrants. Not more than 20 years later, marijuana use has become rampant in Texas border. In result, marijuana was demonized, killings and robberies were associated to people who smoke cannabis and the plant was attributed with addictive qualities and in 1931, the plant was already illegal in 29 states.

Harry Jacob Anslinger, the man behind the marijuana ban throughout America has led Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) in their mission to make marijuana illegal throughout the whole country. His allegations are simply based on observations, that marijuana can cause insanity. He also specified that consumption of even a single marijuana cigarette could induce people to kill the one they loved. With his relentless campaign against marijuana, Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was enacted which criminalized possession and selling of marijuana throughout the whole country.

But later on 1970, the Controlled Substances Act is passed replacing the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act amending Public Health Service Act and other laws with the purpose of:

1. providing increased research into, and prevention of, drug abuse and drug dependence,
2. providing treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers and drug dependent persons,
3. strengthening existing law enforcement authority in the field of drug abuse.

And on November 5, 1996, California becomes the first state in the United States to legalize medical cannabis. And on 2012, Colorado and Washington legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults aged 21 years old and above.

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The legalization and decriminalization of marijuana has continued today with the help of medical scientific research. In fact, on 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize marijuana.

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Should Marijuana be Legal in the Philippines?

Yes it should! Even President Rodrigo Duterte favors the legalization of medical cannabis in the country, relating that marijuana has become an ingredient of modern medicine. As what Mr. Chuck Manansala, (the founder of Medical Cannabis Research Center in the Philippines) also said,

“Marijuana is medicine, a very powerful and effective medicine. It should be legalized as medicine in the Philippines under tight regulation by the government.”

He also said that putting marijuana under schedule 1 classification is scientifically, legally and morally wrong pertaining that marijuana has proven medical effects while schedule 1 substance has no accepted medical use in treatment. He also added that nicotine and caffeine are more addictive than THC and that there have been no reported case of someone dying due to marijuana overdose.

However the level and scope of knowledge of the people in the Philippines is still low. The country is still not ready to legalize medical cannabis but we should continue seeking information and help educate our countrymen about the medicinal effects of cannabis. We should not deprive ourselves to have access with this efficient medicine.

To my countrymen, please support HB 180, an Act Providing Compassionate and Rights of Access to Medical Cannabis and Expanding Research into its Medical Properties.

Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Schedule_I_drugs_(US)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_U.S._jurisdiction
http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-marijuana
Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence by Mitch Earleywine
http://www.medicaldaily.com/brief-history-medical-cannabis-ancient-anesthesia-modern-dispensary-370344
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shennong_Ben_Cao_Jing
https://www.livescience.com/48337-marijuana-history-how-cannabis-travelled-world.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/opinion/high-time-federal-marijuana-ban-is-rooted-in-myth.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_cannabis_laws_in_the_United_States

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I hope that you’ve learned something from this post!