Vapeboss – In Indonesia, the discourse on cannabis legalization remains a matter of pros and cons. The variety of responses and research means that this issue has yet to find a clear resolution. Fundamentally, there are two perspectives or viewpoints that form the basis of this debate: cannabis from a medical aspect and a socio-legal aspect. Several countries recognize that cannabis has diverse health benefits, including for the treatment of cerebral palsy patients. In practice, cannabis legalization is still limited to medical/health needs. However, not a few countries use cannabis for recreational purposes. The Netherlands is one such country that continues to implement this to date.

Cannabis legalization has also become a polemic in Indonesia. The public has differing opinions on this, although most still reject cannabis legalization, whether for medical purposes or for the creation of other processed cannabis products. Nevertheless, there are some opinions that explain the urgency of cannabis legalization in Indonesia, especially for the treatment of certain diseases or medical conditions. In addition to medical purposes, the issue of cannabis legalization is also linked to traditions and culture in Indonesia. There are several regions that use cannabis as a traditional medicine linked to local traditions or culture. These two aspects are the main reasons often put forward when the discourse on cannabis legalization is debated.

On the other hand, much evidence suggests that recreational cannabis legalization can contribute to tobacco harm reduction efforts and public health. A new study published in the Journal of Health Economics shows that legalizing cannabis contributes to a decrease in the use of combustible tobacco cigarettes. The substitution effect from cigarettes to legal recreational cannabis could encourage legalization efforts across the country. Simply put, if cannabis is legally available for appropriate use, then those who consume tobacco products may choose to switch, substitute, or reduce their tobacco use with cannabis.

In America, the decline in tobacco consumption, such as among smokers, is one of the government's focuses. Policy-making is carried out to increase public awareness about the dangers of smoking to health, by repurposing cannabis into something else to minimize tobacco use, such as using e-cigarettes. By consuming cannabis, it is hoped that it can help those suffering from nicotine dependence due to tobacco and other related addictions. Cannabis can be consumed through various methods that do not involve smoking, such as vaporizers, edibles, and oil extracts. This includes tobacco-free vape liquids used as non-combustible alternatives to eliminate or reduce exposure to the toxicity of combustible tobacco use.

In fact, tobacco use declined in some of the earliest adopting states, particularly in Colorado and Washington, which were also the states that saw the largest increase in cannabis use after recreational cannabis and legalization were implemented. By leveraging the momentum created by cannabis legalization, the reach of public health messages can be expanded to address tobacco-related issues.

The Head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Dr. Drs. Petrus Reinhard Golose. M.M explained that to date, there is no discourse on cannabis legalization to be implemented in Indonesia. This is because it contradicts Law No. 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, which contains criminal penalties for cannabis possession. More specifically, articles 6, 8, and 12 briefly explain that cannabis is a class 1 narcotic that is not used for health service purposes and is only used for limited scientific development. If this is violated, there are criminal sanctions of a minimum of 4 years in prison and a maximum of the death penalty.

Source: Vapingpost

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