Benguet town officials amenable to medicinal use of marijuana

February 9, 2019 Community Billboard

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – The municipal mayor and other local officials are amenable to the legalization of marijuana especially in the province as long as it is strictly regulated and used for medicinal purposes.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said he agrees to the legalization for the use of the controversial plant, if it was studied properly by the higher ups as the Anti- Drug Campaign is still being implemented in La Trinidad and with House Bill No.180 still pending in the House of
Representatives.
“The medicinal plant is good in abroad and overseas because they are very strict when it comes to implementing the use of marijuana as a medicinal plant,” the mayor said. Additionally, Atty. Miller
Quintin Jr., municipal administrator and nurse by profession, presumes that as long as the law on dangerous drugs is not amended, they are not allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes. He said the lawmakers should be clear on the benefits and the purpose of using cannabis as medicinal plant.
In general, the legalization of marijuana is a welcome development as it is an endemic plant in Benguet, added Municipal Councilor Roderick Awingan, who also chairs the committee on tourism. He said until the bill is done, his answer in legalizing marijuana as
medicinal plant in Benguet is depending on the regulation that still is pending, for it has different benefit on who are qualified to use, who will get the product, who are the needed farmers, and also, it would gave the farmers an additional income.
Meanwhile, Senior Agriculturist Nida Organo is going with the statement of Miss Universe Catriona Gray, “I’m for it being used in a
medical use, but not so for recreational use.” She followed her answer with a clarification: “But I think if people were to
argue, ‘What about alcohol and cigarettes?’ Well, everything is
good but in moderation.”

GABRIELLE DALUDADO/ABN