18th January 2023
Indonesia: The head of the National Narcotics Agency, Petrus Reinhard Golose, today reiterated his outright rejection of medicinal cannabis, insisting he would “never approve cannabis for medical use, whether it contains CBD or whatever”, press reports. He says there are other alternatives to meet medical needs, and that any legalised cannabis is liable to be used for recreational purposes.
20th July 2022
Indonesia: The Constitutional Court today rejected a formal review of the Narcotics Law that would have allowed the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, press reports. The petitioners had argued that not being allowed to use Class I narcotics – the category under which cannabis is scheduled – for medical purposes was a violation of citizens’ rights to obtain health benefits from the development of science. The court said there was insufficient research to justify such a claim, but asked the government to conduct scientific research immediately into the medical use of Class I drugs.
5th July 2022
Indonesia: Deputy health minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said yesterday that the future regulation permitting medicinal cannabis research will not entail any change in the Law on Narcotics. He said there was no need to reschedule cannabis – currently rated as a Class I narcotic – since the new rule would apply only to research, not consumption, press reports.
30th June 2022
- Indonesia: The minister of health said yesterday, 29th June, that the ministry will “release the rules for permitting medical cannabis research in the near future”, press reports. The statement follows the announcement from the Indonesia Ulema Council, the country’s top Islamic scholars body, to issue a fatwa – a legal opinion handed down by an Islamic religious leader – on medical cannabis from a religious perspective, after the vice president of Indonesia requested the institution to do so.
27th June 2022
Indonesia: Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, has floated the idea of a study on the legalisation of medical cannabis, press reports. Dasco said his party, Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement), would cooperate with the Ministry of Health to conduct the study.
20th June 2022
Indonesia: The head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has said the legalisation of cannabis, either for medicinal or recreational purposes, is not being considered in Indonesia, press reports. Petrus Reinhard Golose said he remained “consistent” in not discussing the matter.
24th May 2022
Indonesia: The government’s attitude to the use of medicinal cannabis has been questioned in committee by a member of the United Development Party, part of the ruling coalition, press reports. Representative Arsul Sani said it was “undeniable” that cannabis could have a medical use and asked how far the government was willing to open up to it.