Criticism For The BNN And The Outdated War On Drugs Campaign

JAKARTA - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has launched a song and an anti-drug campaign music video entitled War On Drugs. There are good and bad sides. On the bright side, this campaign has been a subject of eye-opening criticism. The bad thing is, this campaign is just a laughing stock. Yes, closing comments on YouTube does not stem the ridicule of people.

The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) highlighted this campaign. This kind of approach is considered obsolete by the ICJR. The state should abandon these methods. What is wrong? According to the ICJR, the declaration of war on narcotics is far from effective in stopping narcotics abuse.

"The state continues to use a punitive approach to the problem of narcotics use in Indonesia and continues to declare war on narcotics. But instead, many people get caught in narcotics cases repeatedly. Doesn't this mean that the punitive approach doesn't work?" ICJR, quoted by VOI, Tuesday, April 27.

It's not just ineffective. This kind of approach creates new problems because it keeps people who use drugs away from health interventions. Yes. The narcotics eradication perspective actually places the user as a victim who has the right to receive rehabilitation. So punishment, however, is criminalization.

[SERIES WRITING: Don't Panic It's Organic]

The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), in 2010 agreed on the position that maintaining a criminal stigma for drug users is immoral. One year later, to be precise in 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy released data showing the need for a change in approach to combating narcotics.

Since 1998, the increase in the consumption of opioid narcotics has touched 34.5 percent. Another type, cocaine increased 27 percent. And marijuana - before it was removed from the dangerous class of drugs by the United Nations - saw consumption increase by 8.5 percent.

Other data released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recorded an increase in the world's population of drug users, from 210 million in 2009 to 269 million in 2018. The use of narcotics among adults has also increased during that time. From 4.8 percent to 5.4 percent.

[SERIES WRITING: Don't Panic It's Organic]

In general, there are three alternative policy models besides the prohibition and punishment of the use of narcotics: depenalization, diversion, and decriminalization. What is that?

Depenalization is a reduction in the use of criminal sanctions without changing existing legal regulations. In a concrete translation, depenalization is the formation of a new system as an alternative to the criminal system.

Then, diversion, is a written policy or not. Authorities can refer persons in conflict with the law to social services, education or for health rehabilitation.

Third, decriminalization, namely the elimination of criminal sanctions. This model can be applied to the use and possession of narcotics for individuals.

There are three forms of decriminalization, namely decriminalization accompanied by administrative or civil sanctions, decriminalization accompanied by selective diversion, or decriminalization without any sanctions at all. This model has been adopted by many countries.

As of January 2020, 29 countries or 49 jurisdictions have adopted decriminalization practices at varying degrees of diversity and effectiveness.

[SERIES WRITING: Don't Panic It's Organic]

The anti-drug campaign music video entitled War On Drugs was launched on the War On Drugs YouTube channel. Interestingly, the comments column in the video upload is disabled.

The music video for War On Drugs features TikTok choreography. This song aims to remind the public, especially teenagers, to stay away from drugs.

The offline event from the launch was carried out at the helipad field of the Lido BNN RI Rehabilitation Center in Bogor, West Java. The event was attended by the Head of BNN Petrus Reinhard Golose along with officials of the institution.

Performed by old R&B singer Imaniar with 90s hip-hop star Neo, the song and music video have only been watched 7,820 times since their upload on March 27. Imaniar said that the making of the song War On Drugs was one way to raise the issue of drug abuse from a musician's perspective.

"Our goal is only one, we want to always convey our potential in the field of music, and hopefully we can convey an understanding of the dangers of drugs, fighting drugs together, and Indonesia can shine (Indonesia is clean of drugs)," said Imaniar in an official statement quoted by VOI.

The song War On Drugs was worked on by Imaniar with his younger siblings Iwang Noorsaid and Neo in just three days. Even though it was made suddenly, Imaniar also had time to make choreography similar to videos from TikTok social media.

Here are the lyrics of the song War On Drugs:

War on drugs.

Everybody war on drugs.

Let's war. War on drugs, let's start and war.

Life is beautiful, don't make it difficult.

Love yourself, stay away from drugs. Say no to your future.

Live clean, healthy, happy, say no to drugs.

* Read other information about Narcotics or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.