【綠色新經濟 台灣不缺席】
日前有民眾在公共政策網路參與平台「提點子」發起「開放醫療用大麻」連署，一共超過 5,000 人附議。衛福部原預計 4 月 8 日前正式回應，經過討論後，為求正式回應之周延，決定依法延後到 5 月 8 日前回應。
在 420 全球大麻日這一天，綠黨與民間團體「綠色浪潮」在立法院群賢樓外召開記者會，呼籲衛福部重視病患的醫療需求，在正式回應前能夠充分廣納各方意見，也藉此訴求經濟部發展台灣的綠色經濟。
根據世界衛生組織（WHO）的研究，大麻二酚對健康不會產生不利影響，也不會導致成癮，因此也沒有被濫用的可能性。在國外常用於抗精神病、止吐、抗發炎、抗痙攣等醫療用途，相關產品除了成人，小孩及寵物也可使用。
綠黨共同召集人劉崇顯議員表示：「在台灣對醫用大麻的還是有一些疑慮的情況下，綠黨作為今年在2020大選成為第一個將醫用大麻合法化列為政見的政黨，仍獲得將近30幾萬選民的支持，顯見台灣有很多的民眾殷切盼望醫用大麻合法化可以真正的落實，幫助很多需要用大麻二酚來治療的患者。根據衛福部之前對醫用大麻的回應，說如果有需要使用，可以透過專案進口的方式，但是現實的困境，就是國外作為食品級的醫療大麻，在台灣卻會被視為毒品，所以讓患者根本沒有辦法進口使用，因此呼籲當局不只要防疫，也能看見病患的需求」。
長期關心醫用大麻之應用的賴彥合醫師則表示，「大麻近五十年來，因為美國毒品戰爭而充滿污名和誤解。原先二十世紀初期還被列在美國藥典，直到近十年來全世界才風起雲湧又重新重視它的醫療價值。弔詭的是，甚至在我們這個年齡階層都還沒出生前，就被設下的法律限制和依附的社會氛圍。大麻可謂最有醫療潛力的植物之一，安全性高而且療效廣泛，各國已陸續出現很多大規模的試驗，試圖追上這半世紀來嚴重缺乏的研究。這次全世界的流行病，讓我們更了解疾病無國界，我們外觀上雖然看起來差別很大，但生理結構基本上無太大差異。大麻對病人的療效，也可以說是無國界的。」
關於醫用大麻可以帶起的產業可能性，綠黨副秘書長李菁琪律師表示：「以日本為例，大麻二酚可添加於保健食品跟化妝品；而在美國也有規定一定含量以下為食品級，可以做成小熊軟糖或寵物零食等生活化的食品。在台灣現在仍未有相關藥品列管的情況，新藥的上市都要經過好幾年的時間，在病患迫切的醫療需求下恐緩不濟急，因此呼籲衛福部參考含維生素產品的管制方式，來列管大麻二酚產品」李菁琪繼續解釋：「除了種植之外，也包括製藥、燈具、溫控設備等周邊產業，近年越來越多國家將藥用大麻合法，國際上對藥用大麻的需求快速成長，相關的產業都是蓬勃發展，因此也呼籲經濟部輔導中小企業建立綠色經濟產業鏈，讓台灣在這波國際上新興的綠色產業中搶佔先機」。
【Taiwan should legalize medical cannabis and launch the hemp industry chain】
Green Party Taiwan and Green Sensation (N.P.O.) held a press conference outside of Legislative Yuan on April 20, 2020 – the day internationally known as the “Weed Day.” Prior to the official response to a petition to legalize medical marijuana, the two groups reminded the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to value and listen to patients’ medical needs as well as opinions from all stakeholders. An appeal to developing Taiwan’s cannabis (hemp_ industry was also made towards the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).
Research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) has proven that cannabidiol (CBD) does not adversely affect health nor cause addiction, indicating a low possibility of abuse. CBD is now commonly used in foreign countries for antipsychotic, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasm, and other medical purposes. Other than products designed for adults, children, and pets can use these products as well.
“CBD is a chemical compound from the cannabis. Related products are legally circulated in more than 45 countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany,” said Chung Hsien Liu, the Green Party co-chairperson. “In 2017, the MOHW announced that CBD had been listed as a drug; however, no laws and regulations, such as the method of acquisition, were followed by the announcement. The lack of law left the patients and law enforcement personnel no rules to follow, causing many controversies. To date, only ten patients have successfully imported the medication through self-use exemption. With almost no legal channels available, many patients have no option but to take the risk with products sold at the black market.”
Dr. Yenho Lai, a long-time advocate on the application of medical marijuana, said that “cannabis has been stigmatized and misunderstood from the war on drugs for nearly 50 years. It was originally listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (U.S.P.) in the early twentieth century, and only within the last decade that the world surged to re-emphasize its medical value. Paradoxically, what we want to reverse and challenge is that even before my generation is born, the legal restrictions and resulted negative social atmosphere have been in place.
Cannabis can be described as one of the most medically promising plants with high safety and extensive and the curative effect. Many large-scale trials have been conducted in various countries to catch up with the severely lacking research in the past half-century. Right now, COVID-19 has given us a better understanding of diseases without borders. Although we look different, the physiological structure is similar. The medical effect of cannabis on patients can also be said to have no national boundaries.”
On the business opportunities that could be brought by medical marijuana, Zoe Ching Chi Lee, Deputy Secretary-General of the Green Party Taiwan, pointed out that “taking Japan as an example, CBD can be added to health supplements and cosmetics. In the United States, a certain amount of CBD is categorized as food grade. In Taiwan, there are still no related drugs listed, and the launch of new drugs could take several years and thus fail to address the medical urgency of the patients. Therefore, we call on the MOHW regulate CBD products as it does vitamin products. In terms of the economic side of this issue, in addition to planting the hemp, peripheral industries such as pharmaceuticals, lamps, and temperature control equipment are greatly needed. In recent years, more countries have legalized medical cannabis. The international demand for medical cannabis has proliferated, and related industries are booming. Therefore, we call on the MOEA to assist the small and medium-sized business to establish a cannabis supply chain, allowing Taiwan to seize the opportunity in this wave of internationally emerging green industries.”
📰 新聞參考：
新頭殼報導 https://bit.ly/3csg336
聯合報報導 https://bit.ly/3eAddLk
