JakartaPost-July 25, 2022
The legality of medical marijuana remains in limbo but proponents continue to wage their campaign. Dwi Pertiwi, Nafiah Murhayanti and Santi Warastuti are just three of a number of Indonesian mothers battling for the legality of medical marijuana (cannabis). They are waging this fight for the sake of their children, all of whom have cerebral palsy. According to recent data by Hermina Hospital, there are at least nine cerebral palsy cases per every 1,000 births. There are two active ingredients among thousands of substances contained in cannabis: THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, and CBD, or cannabidiol. While CBD is a promising, addiction-free option for pain relief, THC is the psychoactive component that causes addiction. Both substances are banned by the government. Citing statistics from the University of Gadjah Mada, in Indonesia there are at least 1.5 million to 2.4 million people with epilepsy who need to be treated. A 2021 journal titled Medical cannabis for severe treatment resistant epilepsy in children: a case series of 10 patients written by Rayyan Zafar, Anne Schlag, Lawrence Phillips and David J Nutt, published by BMJ Paediatrics Open from the United Kingdom, stated that medical marijuana can help people with seizures. However, Constitutional Court chief justice Anwar Usman announced on July 20 that the nation’s top court had rejected the mothers’ petition “in its entirety”, reported Tempo. The decision effectively renders the substance illegal, even for medical purposes. “There should be a review regarding our law; if not, the use of legal marijuana for people who need it the most will be difficult,” Iftitah Sari, a representative from the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) said. Read more at:
