- Sativa Nusantara Institute and Shiah University of Kuala Aceh sign a partnership agreement for medical cannabis research, marking a significant historical occasion.
- Research for cannabis plant’s expediency and its extraordinary potentials to be on the way.
In Indonesia, medical cannabis research has advanced significantly. In order to conduct medical cannabis research at the Syiah Kuala University Herbal Medicine Research Center (PRO Herbal USK), the Sativa Nusantara Foundation (YSN), a medical cannabis research and advocacy organization, and Syiah Kuala University (USK) have signed a Cooperation Agreement for Research Implementation. This agreement was signed on June 23, 2023.
USK Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Ir. Marwan stated that, “We are ready to move forward with this collaborative research. Hesitate not, Mr. Khairan (Chairman of PRO Herbal). BNN Aceh is also in support of this. Confiscated items could be used for research purposes, he mentioned.”
“I would like to say thanks to Sativa Nusantara Institute for the motivation and support so dare to move forward. The courage to journey into a new territory. Although cannabis itself is not an unfamiliar item in Aceh. I would also like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to our brothers and sisters, members of the Aceh People’s Representative Council (DPRA).”
YSN and USK will officially collaborate in the preparation of all of the technical aspects necessary for the research and development of herbal medicines based on Cannabis of native Indonesian varieties. This process includes research concept preparation, cultivation mechanisms, and supervision, all in accordance with the Minister of Health Regulation Number 16 of 2022 and the Minister of Health Regulation Number 5 of 2023.
“Initially, the pertaining regulations have been preventing us from exploring too far. Campus hesitated. However, the opportunities are opening wider due to numerous discussions on ganja being of medicinal interests. Last year the late Prof. Musri had also spoken before the Commission 3 of the House of Representatives.
Hopefully the momentum would keep on going and followed by more favorable policies. Since then the Minister of Health had issued its Regulation providing the chance to use it for research purposes and that became a way for us to move on,” the Rector of USK added.
This effort is a part of the realization of the long-term struggle initiated by Lingkar Ganja Nusantara (LGN), which in 2013 finally succeeded in holding an audience with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. In 2015, the permission for cannabis as a treatment of diabetes research was granted by the Indonesian Ministry of Health.
The above sequence of events triggered the establishment of YSN as a research legal entity, but the research was stopped on its course by the lack of permit from the National Narcotics Agency and the absence of technical regulations regarding cannabis research procedures.
