The ‘Cendekiawan Ilmu Pengetahuan’ Foundation participated in a presentation titled “Decriminalizing Approach Towards Shifting Paradigms in Indonesia Cannabis Policy” at the International Conference on Drug Research and Policy. The event was held on May 14-15, 2024, at Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta.
The ‘Cendekiawan Ilmu Pengetahuan’ Foundation, also referred to as ‘Cendekiawan,’ was established on April 20, 2024. The foundation’s first activity was participation in the International Conference on Drug Research and Policy.
Hosted by the Indonesian Center for Drugs Research (ICDR), this two-day event was the first of its kind in the country and will subsequently be organized annually. The conference aims to address the urgent need to tackle the complex and evolving challenges of substance use.
Despite being newly established, Cendekiawan provides a platform for seasoned activists to advance their commitment to legalizing medical cannabis in Indonesia.
Singgih Tomi Gumilang, chairman of Cendekiawan Foundation.
Singgih Tomi Gumilang, chairman of Cendekiawan, asserted that the foundation was established to propose the Regulation or Governance Bill Plan of Medical Cannabis, while also enhancing educational potential and public awareness of the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis.
He further explained, “Cendekiawan aims to provide legal education, particularly in the effort to revise the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics. This includes reclassifying cannabis plants from the List of Class I Narcotics to the List of Class III Narcotics.”
“The reclassification would apply to the entire cannabis genus and all its parts, including seeds, fruits, straws, processed products like marijuana resin and hashish, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and all isomers and stereochemical forms of THC. The current classification in the List of Class I Narcotics not only restricts access to health services but also hinders clinical trials for medical cannabis.”
Aulia R. Sungkar, secretary of Cendekiawan Foundation, presents the abstract of a paper themed “Decriminalizing Approach Towards Shifting Paradigms in Indonesia Cannabis Policy.”
