‘Just an excuse to grow & smoke weed’: Duterte opposes legalizing medical cannabis in Philippines

The Philippines will not legalize medical marijuana because recreational users will likely abuse the legislation to grow and smoke it, Rodrigo Duterte stated, admitting that he had not read any scientific studies on the herb.

The Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, currently pending debate at the country’s House of Representatives, will not get Duterte’s endorsement because it will give potheads an excuse to cultivate and smoke weed, Duterte told a crowd in Victorias City.

“I do not intend to legalize it. I don’t want to. You will just use that as an excuse to plant your own. You will just say: 'this is just for medicinal purposes',” he said.

Making clear that the bill will not see the light of day amid the ongoing war on drugs, Duterte noted that “some other president” might legalize medical cannabis, as he himself remains “ignorant” to scientific studies which argue the benefits of marijuana use in treating medical conditions.

The statement might come as a shock to patients seeking to reap the benefits of medical cannabis, especially considering Duterte’s support for the issue over the last few years. Last December, Duterte even confessed to occasionally smoking pot to stay awake. While he later called the revelation a “joke,” his office explained that the 56-year-old was “in favor of limited use of marijuana.”

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