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Lit_Match

Legalizing ganja
06-29-07|The Jakarta Post

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bill will replace the 1997 Psychotropics Law and the 1997 Narcotics Law, which according to the government are already outdated.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.

 

Buzzby

Not true. Small amounts for personal use are tolerated in the Netherlands, but it is still illegal. It's absolutely illegal in the UK. AFAIK, it's not legal anywhere in the world. In many places, though, the anti-marijuana laws are rarely enforced.

None of them were killed by marijuana, which, in 5,000 years of use, has never killed anyone.

Surely? I don't think so. It would be of greater benefit to drop the "war" and let drug problems be dealt with for what they are: medical problems, not legal problems.

That doesn't indicate a drug problem. It indicates a drug law problem!

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Toking Jedi

I would have to say though, that for all this article's flaws, Buzzby, it still makes a valid point and seems to balance both objective reporting and positive opinion. Yeah, I noticed the part about "legalized in the Netherlands and the UK" but I thought, you know what, to hell with it. Unless the people at the top single this one article out and badmouth everything that's wrong with it I would say it's (relatively) safe as one advocating to the general readership.

Still, I do think that those smart enough to stay informed about the laws beyond Indonesia will be smart enough to figure out that the author is full of shit of four counts. But, I mean, it's a start, and I would say a couple of those are simply due to poor writing and/or translation. Plus, Indonesia's top two drug administrations are making the suggestion to the House of Representatives that it be reclassified and maybe even legalized. I'm optimistic, not naively optimistic, I'm still cautious about expecting that anything will happen, but I am optimistic.

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reggie_the_dog

Legal or not in the Netherlands you can walk into a café, order some buds from a menu, and get as stoned as you want. The fact that it is "illegal but tolerated" is just the result of a UN treaty. Indonesia could make it illegal to sell cannabis, but not penalized to have cannabis as is the practice in Spain, Belgium, certain states of Germany, and the Netherlands. They could also make the penalty for selling a fine of no more than 2 dollars a day. They could have a system where the state would send a letter saying something like "we notice that in the year 2009 your building was open and you were know to sell cannabis on 313 days (closed one day a week), to avoid further problem with the law please pay your penalty for the year 2009, a sum of 616 dollars no later than 15 march."
They could then tell the UN that cannabis was illegal, and not risk losing funding, while allowing a system to operate in which cannabis selling could openly flourish.