Minister Of Health Terawan Is Required To Do Research On Marijuana For Medical Needs

Member of Commission III DPR RI Hinca Pandjaitan (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission III DPR RI Hinca Panjaitan asked the Minister of Health (Menkes) Terawan Agus Putranto to carry out research on marijuana, primarily for medical use.

According to him, the government through the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) must have the will to carry out the research. Because, so far, research on marijuana from a health perspective has never received support.

"If I want to make a note, there was once when the Minister of Health, Mrs. Nila F Moeloek, said this when she was urged to do research, 'wow, there are still many other things that need to be researched than marijuana'," said Hinca in a discussion about the Imprisonment of Medical Cannabis Users that aired on VOI's YouTube account, Thursday, June 18.

It is this kind of reason, continued Hinca, that makes marijuana not included in research priorities. "The words in the quote are, 'research is expensive, so we have to prioritize. We do research that yields great benefits. But if research is expensive and has small benefits, it is a loss, and we can still think of others and there are still many other studies' , "he said, imitating the statement of the former Minister of Health Nila.

Yet according to Hinca, the debate over whether or not marijuana is good for health can actually be over if research is carried out. In addition, according to him, this study also answers the legal basis for the punishment of medical marijuana users.

He also considered that the polemic about marijuana occurred because the government through the Ministry of Health had not done its job well. Namely doing research about marijuana.

"So the Minister of Health, especially about health and medicine, the backbone is research," he said.

Most medical users know the benefits of their own research

Circle of Cannabis Nusantara (LGN) Advocate Singgih Tomi Gumilang said most medical marijuana users know about this treatment from a number of books and a number of websites that include this information.

He also said that the use of medical marijuana was indeed used by those with medical problems. "Actually, they buy marijuana, I dig for medical reasons. I met people with ADHD, people with difficulty focusing, I met bipolar people, depressed people in Bali. They use marijuana to relieve psychological symptoms," said Singgih.

According to him, these medical marijuana users are not intentionally bypassing Law Number 35 of 2009 which states that marijuana is a class one narcotic and its use is prohibited. These marijuana users are forced to buy it on the black market because they have no other choice.

Because, when these users try to get marijuana legally using a doctor's prescription, they are actually considered addicts. So, doctors forget why they use marijuana for treatment.

Reflecting on this, Singgih considered that marijuana should be officially managed by the state. The reason is that marijuana is considered to be able to increase the country's foreign exchange. "We add state funds," he said.

In addition to increasing the country's foreign exchange, legalizing marijuana is considered capable of reducing the black market. "It is true that all patients will refer to the use of marijuana, increased use. But over time it will be an option, whether they use marijuana for medicinal therapy or use marijuana and herbs to be combined," he concluded.