DDB, PDEA support reclassifying marijuana as less dangerous drug — Bato

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) are open to the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, according to Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa disclosed this on Tuesday during the continuation of the Senate plenary deliberations on the proposed 2025 national budget. Dela Rosa is the sponsor of the two agencies' budget for next year.

“Wala pong problema sa [there is no problem with] PDEA. They are willing to do everything to downgrade marijuana,” Dela Rosa said upon the interpellation of Senator Robin Padilla.

“But the problem is, we really have to amend the law RA 9165 before we can do otherwise because marijuana is annexed in this law as one of the prohibited substances,” he added.

Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 provides the penalties for persons who are in possession of dangerous drugs, including marijuana, marijuana resin, and marijuana resin oil.

Dela Rosa said that RA 9165 has to be amended first before the DDB could proceed with the reclassification, addition, or removal of any drug from the list of dangerous drugs.

“Ang problema kasi your Honor is that puwede silang mag-reclassify kapag hindi siya naka-annex dito sa RA 9165, pero in this case, marijuana for that matter, is annexed in RA 9165. ‘Yung limitation ng kanilang power to reclassify ay dapat matanggal muna sa annex ng RA 9165 ang marijuana bago sila makapag-reclassify,” the senator explained.

(The problem, your Honor, is that the DDB can only reclassify if a drug is not annexed in the RA 9165, but in this case, marijuana for that matter, is annexed in the law. In order for them to reclassify, marijuana should be removed first in the annex of RA 9165.)

Pending this, Dela Rosa said the DDB and PDEA are in “full support” of efforts to reclassify marijuana as a low-risk drug.

“But as far as their willingness, as far as their approval, as far as their cooperation is concerned, they’re very much willing to do everything… Officially, they have manifested their willingness to cooperate with the move of the good gentleman from Camarines Norte as far as reclassifying marijuana,” he continued.

In 2020, the 53 member-states of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted in favor of the reclassification of marijuana and its derivatives as a less dangerous drug.

This development paves the way for further scientific research on the medicinal and therapeutic potential of marijuana.

Marijuana, however, will remain subject to all levels of control under Schedule I of the 1961 Convention, including the requirement for a prescription to be written on "official forms to be issued in the form of counterfoil books by the competent governmental authorities or by authorized professional associations."

In May 2024, the Biden administration in the United States formally proposed reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News