PROPONENT OF POT USE STUNNED BY REACTION

Suddenly, this congressman has found his 15 minutes of fame.

Thrust into the limelight by his proposal to legalize the use of marijuana
for medical purposes, Ifugao Representative Solomon Chungalao has been
overwhelmed by the adverse reaction to his proposal from the police, the
Catholic Church and other sectors.

"Before even drafting and filing the bill... I floated the idea to search
out the opinions and ideas of certain concerned people, knowing pretty well
that the arguments against it were aplenty," Chungalao told the Inquirer
here on Sunday.

Chungalao said he was forced to defend his proposal after some sectors used
it to attack the First Family, particularly Pampanga Representative Juan
Miguel Arroyo, who had initially endorsed the idea.

He said he proposed the idea "in frustration" because he had wondered why
some of his fellow Cordillerans would risk going to jail by cultivating and
transporting marijuana.

"All those who cultivate marijuana come from poor areas. They have no roads
to speak of," he said.

Chungalao clarified that he was not condoning the cultivation of marijuana.
"Those who transport and use cannabis illegally will still be punished
according to our laws," he said.

He said the bill would only affect "a very limited area and a very limited
group of people."

"I brought into the discussion the possibility of excluding marijuana among
other drugs, and of tapping the medicinal aspect and properties of
marijuana to legalize its production, even on a limited scale in limited
areas," he said.