Ministry Of Health On United Nations Issues To Remove Cannabis From The Most Dangerous Substance: In-depth Study Needs

Cannabis plant (Matteo Paganelli / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) Commission has unanimously removed marijuana from the list of the most dangerous drugs in the world. This UN recognition is an important beginning to legitimize the health benefits of marijuana.

Then, is there a possibility that Indonesia will implement the use of marijuana as medicine? The Ministry of Health's Director of Prevention and Control of Mental Health Problems and Drugs, Siti Khalimah, said that this does not mean that Indonesia complies with the UN regarding the use of marijuana as medicine.

Siti said, the Ministry of Health needs to do an in-depth study to be able to release marijuana from the dangerous narcotics class. The research and development of the Ministry of Health is in coordination with the National Narcotics Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, and a number of experts.

"The issue of marijuana as a medicine needs an in-depth and comprehensive study. The research is based on evidence and clinical studies are conducted by experts and policy makers," said Siti to VOI, Friday, December 4.

Siti also asked the public not to just see marijuana in medical use. If legalized, the use of marijuana, according to him, is the first step for substance abuse or other drugs that are more dangerous

"This use must also be seen from the negative effects. It is better to avoid harm. So, we should protect our younger generation by not experimenting with marijuana even though it is only for recreational use," he explained.

For information, the United Nations Narcotics Commission agreed to remove the cannabis plant and cannabis sap from Group IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics which were considered the most dangerous. This brings hope for activists who are activists of the use of medical marijuana to encourage changes in narcotics regulations in Indonesia.

Previously, marijuana and its derivatives were placed in group I and group IV. As is well known, class IV narcotics are considered the most dangerous. Therefore, narcotics in this group, including marijuana, are the most tightly controlled when compared to narcotics groups I to III.