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Cannabis use concords with anti-drug policy: Staunch anti-drug advocate Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa concurs with Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s proposal to use cannabis or marijuana to treat debilitating illnesses. In his co-sponsorship speech on Senate Bill No. 2573 or the Cannabis Medicalization Act, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Dela Rosa commended Padilla for taking a step further and flew to Israel to study and exerted due diligence on the matter of pharmaceutical grade cannabis. “As a rock-hard, anti-illegal drug advocate since I was with the Philippine National Police, I openly fought and forced to end the illegal drug. So it is only right to ask: is this an exercise in contradiction? To respond, Mr. President, there is no contradiction,” the former PNP chief said. The senator cited Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which states that: The government shall however aim to achieve a balance in the national drug control program so that people with legitimate medical needs are not prevented from being treated with adequate amounts of appropriate medications, which include the use of dangerous drugs. “Examining this more closely, then, we can see that the proposal of our dear colleague, Senator Padilla, is in full consonance with this existing anti-illegal drugs policy of the government,” he added. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)