UNAIR NEWS – The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) is reviewing the plan to legalize medical marijuana. Responding to this issue, a doctor from the Addiction Psychiatry Division of Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (FK UNAIR) dr Soetjipto SpKJ (K) said that there was no need to rush on it.
“Many countries may have legalized the use of medical marijuana. Indonesia has not yet because it is necessary to look at many factors, for example, related to the Narcotics Law,” said doctor Tjipto.
Indonesia categorizes marijuana as a class one narcotic. It means that marijuana can only be used for research. Medical marijuana has not yet received a permit as a means of treatment.
Based on research, medical marijuana can act as an alternative therapy or treatment for several diseases such as glaucoma, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, cancer, hypertension, and it can overcome seizures for patients with cerebral palsy. For this reason, dr. Tjipto suggested that medical marijuana can be reduced to class two or three so that it can be used as a means of therapy or treatment.
“Although later it may be useful as medicine, its use also needs strict supervision. If you want to use it, you must go through medical personnel who are already trained. So, when it’s legal, it can’t be used arbitrarily,” explained dr. Tjipto.
Supervision of use by medical personnel can also minimize the side effects. Medical personnel can help monitor the right dose of medical marijuana use in patients so that the marijuana will not be misused and cause addiction.
“If the population or society in this country is all addicted to marijuana, it will disrupt the country’s stability. It can be seen from the chaos in other countries that stems from the rampant abuse of these psychoactive substances. For this reason, even if medical marijuana is legalized for therapy, the government needs to make regulations that protect the public from its misuse,” he explained.
Differences between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana
“Medical marijuana is different from marijuana for fun (recreational marijuana, ed). So it will be relatively safe for treatment,” said dr. Tjipto.
Medical marijuana contains cannabidinol (CBD), which can be used as a drug for therapy for various diseases, while recreational marijuana contains tetrahidocannabinol (THC). The THC content makes users feel “high” sensation.
“Furthermore, the use of recreational marijuana, which a medical expert does not supervise, can cause various health problems. For example, lung infections, heart attacks, inflammation of the respiratory tract, distorted thinking, until triggering the emergence of bipolar disorder, “explained dr. Tjipto.
Author: Fauzia Gadis Widyanti
Editor: Feri Fenoria
