Indonesia Considers Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Purposes — The legalization of medicinal marijuana is once again brought up after a mother from Sleman, Santi Warastuti, went viral on social media during the car-free day (CFD). A picture of Santi and her son in a wheelchair went viral on Twitter as she pleaded for the legalization of medical marijuana to cure her son. It’s posted by an Indonesian celebrity that went viral on June 26 which, coincidentally also World Drug Day.
A regulation regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes has once been passed down and registered. However, it is still pending approval by the constitutional judge at this moment. The People’s Representative Council (DPR) plans to call doctors and pharmacists for advice regarding the matter.
Lingkar Ganja Nusantara (LGN), or The Archipelago’s Circle of Marijuana, fully supports DPR’s effort to research further the legalization of the marijuana plant for medical use. As a few researchers have stated that the plant can be an alternative medicine for several diseases.
“The governor should have researched medicinal marijuana as soon as possible. LGN and YSN fully support DPR’s plan for the research 100 percent,” said Dhira Narayana, the Executive Director of Yayasan Sativa Nusantara (YSN) and the founder of LGN.
Adib Khumaidi, the Chairman of Pengurus Besar Ikatan Dokter Indonesia (PBIDI), said that they are currently compiling scientific references for the initiation of medicinal marijuana research. The DPR RI commission member III Taufik Basari also said that the governor must not act conservative during the formulation of policies regarding narcotics.
Marijuana for Medical Use
According to the research done by LSN, the marijuana plant can be a medicine for at least 30 diseases. Some of those diseases are Alzheimer’s, glaucoma, urination problems, arthritis, cancer to Cerebral Palsy (CP).
“The most important thing is to put great care to Mrs. Santi and her son who suffered Cerebral Palsy, who will benefit from an alternative therapy that’s guaranteed to work in countries that have legalized medicinal marijuana,” said Dhira.
Doubts from the BNN
The Badan Narkotika Nasional (BNN) or the National Narcotics Agency, has doubts regarding the law on medicinal marijuana. Police commissioner, Ahwil Luthan, BNN’s narcotics expert team coordinator said that the marijuana in Indonesia contains a high percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) around 18 percent. Which, makes it unable to be used for medicinal purposes.
The high percentage of THC makes marijuana plants in Indonesia difficult to be processed. The discovery of the substance is based on the research by Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan (Litbangkes) Kementerian Kesehatan on Tawangmangu area in Central Java. Which is, the National Institute of Health Research and Development, Indonesian Ministry of Health.
