JAKARTA: Indonesia’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday (Jul 20) rejected a judicial review of the state’s narcotics law that will have paved the way meant for legalising marijuana designed for medicinal use, a panel of nine judges ruled.
Three moms of children with cerebral palsy backed by civil society companies had in 2020 filed a judicial review of the nation’s strict narcotics regulation, arguing for the use of therapeutic marijuana to treat signs and symptoms.
The judges said that there was insufficient research to justify a ruling in preference of the plaintiffs, but urged the government in order to “immediately” conduct study on the therapeutic usage of narcotics.
“The court needs to emphasise that the government (should) immediately follow up … The results of which may be used to determine policies, including in this case the possibility of transforming the law, ” said judge Suhartoyo, who else like many Indonesians uses one title only.
The plaintiffs had contended that not being permitted to use narcotics meant for medical reasons was a constitutional violation of citizens’ rights to obtain health services plus benefit from the development of science and technology.
Indonesia has one of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws, with fines for possession or trafficking of huge quantities of drugs including life imprisonment and death.
But the issue has recently gained traction after a mother, Santi Warastuti, whose 13-year-old child has cerebral palsy, called for the legalisation of marijuana regarding medical research on a busy street within downtown Jakarta.
The 43-year-old mom went viral right after she held a placard on a crowded thoroughfare that understand: “Help, my kid needs medical cannabis. ”
Indonesia’s parliament has recently talked about amending the rules regulating medicinal marijuana, stating it would undertake an extensive study on the benefits.
Any moves to legalise would certainly follow Thailand , which usually became the first country in the region to green-light medical marijuana in 2018, and marijuana cultivation and consumption this year.