Health experts on Wednesday expressed opposition to bills intending to legalize cannabis or marijuana if not for medicinal value as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In a statement, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) stressed that marijuana is still under restriction on its use for non-medical and non-scientific purposes.

The PMA also warned the public that the use of marijuana for unproven medical indications is harmful.

It added that the use of marijuana for pregnant women affects the brain development of the fetus and the infant's first 1,000 days.

"Legalization of cannabis will send a wrong message especially to our youth, that our government considers Cannabis as a safe substance, and therefore will expose our citizens to unnecessary harm," the PMA said.

"The youth are particularly susceptible to developing dependency, which can derail their educational achievements, social relationships, and future endeavors," it added.

It also expressed support for the use of medical cannabis as approved by the FDA for specific indications, however, it stressed that "there is no need for new legislation to access FDA-approved Medical Cannabis for specific indications."

It also urged the government to conduct Cannabis Research and re-classification/delisting of any drug in the Dangerous Drug Board Dangerous Drug list as mandated by the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

"We strongly support the conduct of local scientific studies on Cannabis for medical purposes in legitimate research institutions under strict Institutional Review Board-approved research protocols to address the existing knowledge gap on Cannabis efficacy and safety," the PMA said.

"Cannabis used as a recreational drug, and used as medicine for unproven medicinal indications are a dangerous drug," it added.

The PMA furthered that the legalization of cannabis "are steps that could irreparably harm the social fabric of our nation by enabling easier access to marijuana for Filipino youth."