Indonesia is exploring the possibility of legalising cannabis for medicinal purposes as the plight of a mother caught the attention of the public and government.
They would follow their Asian neighbours Thailand, who recently relaxed their laws to allow or cannabis consumption.
The move has come as a shock to some due to the stringent laws on cannabis and other drugs in the country.
Indeed it would be one of the few Muslim majority nations in the world following Morocco to allow marijuana consumption in one form or another.
The idea has gained traction and reached the highest levels of politics after being highlighted by Indonesia singer Andien who shone a light on the plight of an Indonesian mother and her child that suffers from cerebral palsy.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has called on the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) – the highest Islamic clerical body in the nation – to issue a fatwa to allow marijuana for medicinal purposes. Ma’ruf was also the former chair of the MUI.
Although research is still limited, there is some evidence to suggest that medicinal marijuana could help in alleviating severe seizures and epilepsy in people suffering from cerebral palsy. Another benefit would be in the reduction of pain.
The laws within Indonesia have remained very strict regarding both drug usage and drug trafficking inlcuding cannabis.
A man was jailed for 8 months for growing cannabis for his wife who was dying, the sentence reduced in severity due to the circumstances. Drug traffickers themselves can find a possible death penalty awaiting them should they be proven guilty.
