Opposition to Marijuana Legalization Gets High

Presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo says that he was quoted out of context when he expressed support for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In Ifugao – a province seen to have illegal marijuana plantations – various leaders oppose the legalization of marijuana, a proposal that started from their own legislator.

BY JENN NANGLIHAN
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

LAGAWE, Ifugao — In this province located in the northern part of the Philippines, opposition to the legalization of marijuana is getting high.

It may be recalled that Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao proposed the legalization of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) for medicinal purposes. Marijuana is a drug which is made from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant and which can be smoked in cigarettes.

Chungalao argued that poverty is the biggest reason Cordillerans engage in illegal marijuana production, adding that most of those involved in the production and sale of marijuana come from the poverty-stricken families in remote villages. He dismissed claims that the bill would revive the marijuana industry, stressing that the cultivation of marijuana would be confined to specific areas identified by authorities coupled with stricter regulatory measures to avoid possible negative effects.

However, Fr. Francis Balakwit of the Lagawe-Bontoc Vicariate branded the proposal as a “shameful bill” since “legalizing marijuana is not the answer to poverty.” He said that the waning morality of the Ifugao people could be worsened if such proposal pushes through.

For his part, Lagawe-based Fr. Felix Bay-ong said, “The main solution (to poverty) is the provision of livelihood in the communities which the government failed to provide.”

Economic opportunity?

Chungalao believes that the income generated from the marijuana industry could be used to construct road networks, among others, which prevent the farmers to bring their products in the market.

“It also gives government a break in its never-ending but seemingly hopeless campaign against marijuana using taxpayers money,” he said. “Marijuana remains a high-priced product because it is illegal. But once it becomes a legal business, it will open up competition among producers, sellers and users leading its price to decline.”

For her part, Rita Dincog-Papey, technical advisor of the Third Elementary Education Project (TEEP) of the Benguet and Ifugao Division, stressed the importance of developing province’s rich reserves of medicinal plants as an alternative to Chungalao’s proposal. She stressed that developing herbal plants for pharmaceutical purposes can surpass the economic benefits that may be derived from the production and sale of marijuana.

“Herbal plants abound in the communities of Ifugao. Usage is generally accepted by the people and its effectivity for medical purposes has already been proven,” Dincog-Papey said. Northern Dispatch/Bulatlat

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