(File photo)

MANILA (PNA) – UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque favors the legalization of marijuana use for medical purposes.

If elected, Roque, a human rights lawyer, said he would file a bill legalizing the use of marijuana as long as it is used to help ease the pain of cancer patients.

“(I’m) strongly in favor, kasi po ngayon ako po ay nag-aalaga ng isa ng matandang dalagang tiya na nagpalaki sakin (because now I am taking care of my old maid aunt who raised me). She’s in pain because of breast cancer at sabi nga nila (and they said), I wish we could use marijuana in this instance para maibsan ang kanyang sakit (to ease her pain),” the former presidential spokesperson said in a news release on Wednesday.

In 2019, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 6517 or the proposed “Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act” that seeks to provide compassionate and right of access to medical cannabis and expand research into its medicinal properties.

In 2020, Senate agreed that Congress must not lose time and waste efforts to legislate a law that will make legal the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, marijuana eases the pain of multiple sclerosis and nerve pain. Patients claim that marijuana allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it and disengaged. It also lessens the tremors in Parkinson’s disease.

Marijuana can also treat glaucoma and manage nausea and weight loss. (PR)