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Mothers of cerebral palsy children fight for medical marijuana
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So close yet so far: The nation's top court rejects the mothers' petition to legalize medical marijuana, according to Constitutional Court chief justice Anwar Usman on July 20. (Pexel/Aphiwat Chuangchoem) (Pexel/Aphiwat Chuangchoem)
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.
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.
In 2022, the issue regained the public’s attention after a photograph of Santi carrying a poster written with the words, “Help, my child needs medical marijuana” during the always-busy car-free day near Bundaran HI, went viral.
Following the much-shared story on social media, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said his ministry would soon publish new regulations aimed at allowing research on the medicinal benefits of marijuana.
However, on July 12, Tempo reported that the chief of the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN), commissioner-general Petrus Golose, stated that his party rejected the legalization of medical marijuana in Indonesia.
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