Legal Expert Suggests Changing The Designation Of Drug Users In The Narcotics Law

JAKARTA - Researcher from the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Judicial Independence (LeIP), Raynov Tumorang Pamintori, proposed changing the terminology of the subject, from "addicts", "abusers", and "victims of abuse" to the terms "narcotics users", in the revision of Law Number 35 of 2009 about Narcotics.

"Drug users are people who use narcotics for themselves", said Raynov in the webinar "Public Exposure to the Narcotics Bill version of the Narcotics Policy Reform Network (JRKN)", as monitored virtually in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 22.

Currently, in the Narcotics Law, the classification of subjects in the regulation is not clear, so it is stigmatizing and inconsistent with one another.

JRKN recommends the certainty of subject naming, which is consistent and does not provide stigma, in the revision of the Narcotics Law.

"Subject distinction should only be in the division of users and dealers", he added.

Any use for personal gain is not criminalized and is handled through a health approach.

In that section, JRKN suggested a definition that is expected in the revision of the Narcotics Law to reduce stigma, namely by reading "people who use narcotics" and "people who are addicted to narcotics".

Furthermore, about the procedures for classifying narcotics, JRKN also recommends the preparation of a government regulation (PP) regarding procedures for determining the classification of narcotics in Indonesia.

"Currently, the determination of narcotics groups is regulated in the regulation of the Minister of Health (Permenkes). The public only gets certain types of narcotics, determined to be included in certain groups, without the public knowing what the knowledge base and justification are", he explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights, Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, on the same occasion considered the need for discussion with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs regarding follow-up for narcotics users.

"We have to talk to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs. Of course, if the user is not criminalized, action must still be taken", said Edward.