29/06/2007 00:00:00
Indonesia: Legalizing ganja
---
How soon until we can enjoy marijuana as an ingredient at an Acehnese
restaurant? When will we be able to openly buy and smoke marijuana like
kretek (clove) cigarettes?
The main subject of the two above questions is the legality of
marijuana, which under current law is considered an illegal drug like
heroin and cocaine.
The questions are provoked by the suggestion by two prominent antidrug
agencies that the country legalize marijuana because it is much less
dangerous than what the public believes, particularly when compared to
heroin.
The first question was raised by some readers of this newspaper after
reading the front page report on Wednesday that quoted Vice President
Jusuf Kalla as saying it was all right to use marijuana as a food
seasoning, although he was against the idea of legalizing the drug. The
readers had enjoyed marijuana as an ingredient when they ate at local
restaurants in Aceh, where it is common practice.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged man, who said he had smoked marijuana in his
youth, asked the second question. Citing his own experience, he insisted
that smoking marijuana was just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes.
Kalla made the remarks after presiding over a ceremony to commemorate
International Anti-Drug Day on Tuesday. He responded to the recent
recommendation by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian
Institute on Drug Abuse which suggested that the government consider the
possibility of legalizing marijuana.
The two agencies argued that by downgrading the status of marijuana, law
enforcers could concentrate on much more serious types of drugs like
ecstasy. The number of marijuana consumers is relatively high compared
to other drug users.
The recommendation of the two institutions was meant for the ears of the
House of Representatives, which is deliberating the bill on "narkoba"
(an acronym for narcotics and other drugs). The government-sponsored
bill will replace the 1997 Psychotropics Law and the 1997 Narcotics Law,
which according to the government are already outdated.
The law classifies marijuana as a first-category drug, similar to opium,
cocaine and heroin. It covers all parts of the plant and its products.
Users of opium, heroin and marijuana face equally harsh punishments. But
in Aceh and in many other places, including North Sumatra, people for
generations have used all of the marijuana plant for traditional purposes.
Several studies have also shown that opium and heroin are much more
dangerous than marijuana. In several countries, including in the
Netherlands and United Kingdom, marijuana has been legalized.
It is understandable, however, that the idea to legalize marijuana has
strong opposition. Who would not worry about the controversial idea,
when there are more than 3.2 million users of illegal drugs in
Indonesia? BNN reported that no less than 15,000 drug users die every
year. For many the very idea of legalizing marijuana is ridiculous.
We need to remember however that the two institutions are very competent
and professional in their field. Their suggestion is based on a thorough
study and surely it is in the interests of the nation to win the war
against drugs. And more importantly their input is needed by the
government and the House while they debate the new drugs bill.
If it is true that marijuana is much less dangerous than currently
thought, why should the authorities spend so much energy fighting it
when their time would be better spent tackling much more dangerous drugs
like heroin and ecstasy?
It is very true that drug use is a problem in this country. Jails and
police detention centers are crowded with illicit drug users. But it is
in the nation's own interest for the public to exercise common sense and
stay cool in response to the legalization of marijuana.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12647
Author:
Jakarta Post via UKCIA
|