batampos – The discourse on legalizing marijuana for medical purposes began to be discussed at Commission III of the DPR yesterday. The meeting resulted in an agreement that medical marijuana can be legalized.
In the meeting, Commission III invited Santi Warastuti, a mother who went viral for voicing the legalization of medical marijuana for her child’s recovery. Santi was accompanied by her attorney, Singgih Tomi Gumilang, who submitted a judicial review (JR) to the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding marijuana. Commission III also invited a cannabis researcher from Syiah Kuala University in Aceh, Musri Musman.
The meeting chaired by Desmond Junaidi Mahesa gave Musri the first opportunity to explain the benefits of marijuana and its use. Musri said, there are many benefits that can be obtained from marijuana. For example, oil from cannabis seeds. “In the seeds there are a number of nutrients that can be used in our lives,” he said
He explained, cannabis seed oil can be digested and absorbed 100 percent by the human body. So, nothing to poison and intoxicate. Oil has nutrients like chicken eggs. One tablespoon of cannabis seed oil can replace the nutritional needs in a day.
Cannabis seed oil also contains omega 6 and omega 3. Musri stated that no other plant contains the ratio of omega 3 and omega 6. Not only that. Musri said cannabis seed oil also contains vitamins B1 and B2. In fact, it can be used to treat stunting. He asserted, cannabis seed oil can also be used to treat cerebral palsy. This is a disease suffered by Santi’s child.
Musri explained, giving 600 milligrams of cannabis seed oil per day does not cause drunkenness, is not dangerous, and does not cause addiction. “How to use it can be placed under the tongue, can be like smoking, and can be done with steam,” he said.
From an economic perspective, continued Musri, 1,000 hectares of cannabis plants can generate IDR 34.8 trillion per year. That’s the count of cannabis plants that grow on barren land and without being given fertilizer. “Aceh’s budget can be subsidized from cannabis plants,” he explained.
Singgih hopes that the legalization of medical marijuana can be included in the revision of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics. He hopes that there is a special article that regulates it and there are special derivative rules.
Commission III member Father Muhamad Syafi’i said, after listening to Musri’s explanation, it turns out that marijuana has many benefits. In fact, stunting can be overcome with cannabis seed oil. It really has many health benefits. So, he supports if the plant is used for medical needs. Not to legalize marijuana, but only for medical and health purposes, said the Gerindra Party politician.
Eva Yuliana, Member of Commission III from the Nasdem Faction, said marijuana is a plant created by God which is believed to be holy and clean. Cannabis is not good because its use and utilization is not good. Anything that is used in excess is certainly not good. So, plants that are actually sacred are then used for health needs which are also sacred, so there is nothing wrong with that. He strongly agrees with the medical use of marijuana. ”I will be with Bu Santi and will fight for it,” he said
Regarding the rule of law in the Narcotics Law, Eva emphasized that it could be changed through revision. According to him, this change must be made to save the nation’s children who are sick.
I Wayan Sudirta, a member of the PDIP Commission III, said that currently marijuana is classified as a class I narcotic and is not used in therapy and has the potential to cause dependence.
For medical purposes, he said, marijuana must be in category II so that it can be used for therapy and scientific development. Meanwhile, Article 6 paragraph 3 explicitly mandates that changes in the classification of narcotics are regulated by a regulation of the Minister of Health. The legal loophole to change the classification of marijuana is contained in the explanation of Article 6 paragraph 3 which states that the change in the classification of narcotics is an adjustment to the classification of narcotics based on international agreements and considerations of national interests. So, the Narcotics Law has provided a wide door for the classification of marijuana to be changed from group I to group II.
At the international level, at the end of 2020, the United Nations Narcotics Commission has issued marijuana from group IV. This means marijuana has been released as a dangerous narcotic that has no medical benefit, he said
This has been followed by at least 50 countries that have medical marijuana programs, including Malaysia and Thailand. “Legalization can be done through a regulation from the minister of health that changes marijuana from class I narcotics to class II,” he said.
The next step is to revise the Narcotics Law which is being discussed by Commission III. Moreover, if later the Constitutional Court’s decision also granted the application for provisions of Article 6 Paragraph 1 and Article 8 of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics which was also submitted by Santi. (*)
Reporter: JP Group