House Of Representatives Commission IX: Indonesia Should Have Started Study Of Cannabis Medical Benefits

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Medical marijuana has become a hot topic of discussion after a mother carrying a poster went viral asking for help so she can get medical marijuana for her child at the Car Free Day (CFD) activity at the HI Roundabout, Central Jakarta, Sunday, June 26.

This action was also uploaded in the posts of several social media accounts, one of which was Dwi Pertiwi. She is the mother of the late Musa, the son of a petitioner for a medical marijuana ban, who died at the age of 16 in December 2020 after battling cerebral palsy.

Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives Charles Honoris assessed that Indonesia needed to start a study regarding the medical benefits of marijuana. This is to legitimize the scientific use of Ganjar.

"Indonesia should have started a study on the benefits of the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa) for medical purposes. This objective medical study will become scientific legitimacy, whether a medical marijuana program needs to be carried out in Indonesia," Charles Honoris told reporters, Tuesday, June 28. Charles explained, at the end of 2020 the United Nations Narcotics Commission (CND) had issued marijuana and cannabis resin from Group IV of the Single Convention on Narcotics of 1961. This means that marijuana has been removed from the list of the most dangerous drugs that have no medical benefits.

"On the contrary, this UN decision has motivated many countries to review their country's policies regarding the use of cannabis plants for medical treatment," he explained. Charles said that currently, more than 50 countries have medical marijuana programs, including Malaysia and Thailand. Therefore, he assessed, currently, research needs to be done even though it is not yet known whether or not there will be a medical marijuana program in Indonesia.

"Whether Indonesia will carry out a medical marijuana program or not, research is mandatory and very important to do so that it becomes the basis for further policy-making/regulation," he said.

The PDIP politician said the research was solely for the benefit of humanity, which is considered important for the world of health. He hopes that there are no other victims who need medical treatment.

"Medical research must continue to develop and be dynamic for humanitarian purposes. In order to save the lives of Pika, and other children with brain inflammation, which the mother believes can be treated with marijuana. The state must not sit idly by and watch other 'Pika-Pika' waiting for their rights to be fulfilled. for his health," he concluded.

Previously, Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that his party would immediately review the discourse on legalizing medical marijuana. Because, said Dasco, although marijuana can be used for medical treatment in several countries, in Indonesia it is still not regulated by law.

"Later we will try to study whether it is possible for marijuana as a medical drug that can indeed be used," said Dasco at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday, June 26.

The DPR, added Dasco, will also coordinate with various parties including the Ministry of Health to discuss the matter with Commission IX of the DPR.

"Later we will try to coordinate with the technical commission and also the Ministry of Health, so that the DPR can then respond to it," he said.