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Advocates Philippines
Cannabis as a Dangerous Drug is 'Bullshit'
Photo credit: Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez
Davao del Norte Congressman Pantaleon D. Alvarez made a strong statement during the hearing of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs on February 21, 2023, arguing that the classification of cannabis as a dangerous drug is "bullshit" and must be corrected.
In his speech, Rep. Alvarez questioned the government's allowance of harmful products like alcoholic beverages, cancer-causing cigarettes, and diabetes-bringing sugary drinks, while criminalizing cannabis and its derivatives, which he argued are less harmful and have many benefits. He cited examples of other countries and states that have legalized cannabis and generated billions worth of tax revenues, which could be used to fund public services and pay off the country's debts.
Rep. Alvarez pointed out that unlike alcohol, cannabis does not make people reckless and aggressive. He shared a story about two groups of strangers, one given alcohol and the other given cannabis, and observed that while the first group would likely engage in a brawl, the second group would be calm and friendly.
He argued that cannabis should not be viewed as a problem, but rather as part of the solution, and that the continued criminalization of the substance does not make sense at all.
To address this, Rep. Alvarez called for support for House Bill No. 6783, which seeks to remove cannabis and any form of derivative thereof from the list of dangerous drugs and substances under existing laws.
In his speech, Rep. Alvarez questioned the government's allowance of harmful products like alcoholic beverages, cancer-causing cigarettes, and diabetes-bringing sugary drinks, while criminalizing cannabis and its derivatives, which he argued are less harmful and have many benefits. He cited examples of other countries and states that have legalized cannabis and generated billions worth of tax revenues, which could be used to fund public services and pay off the country's debts.
Rep. Alvarez pointed out that unlike alcohol, cannabis does not make people reckless and aggressive. He shared a story about two groups of strangers, one given alcohol and the other given cannabis, and observed that while the first group would likely engage in a brawl, the second group would be calm and friendly.
He argued that cannabis should not be viewed as a problem, but rather as part of the solution, and that the continued criminalization of the substance does not make sense at all.
To address this, Rep. Alvarez called for support for House Bill No. 6783, which seeks to remove cannabis and any form of derivative thereof from the list of dangerous drugs and substances under existing laws.
Feb 21, 2023
