The cannabis controversy becomes a basic medicinal plant of the Ministry of Agriculture

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The cannabis plant became a controversy after the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) designated it as one of the cultivated medicinal plants.

This decision is established in Decree of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kepmentan) Number 104 of 2020 on commodities assisted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo signed the regulation on February 3, 2020.

Apparently, the cannabis plant, which is a psychotropic plant, has been included in the group of medicinal plants since 2006.

This is indicated in Kepmentan Number 511 of 2006.

“The guidance being carried out is to divert cannabis growers to plant other types of productive plants and destroy existing cannabis plants,” said the Director of Vegetables and Medicinal Plants at the Ministry of Agriculture, Tommy Nugraha, in a statement. official, on Saturday (8/29/2020).

Also read: The Minister of Agriculture will revoke the ministerial decree that stipulates marijuana as a medicinal plant

He said that the regulation of cannabis as a group of medicinal plants only applies to cannabis grown for the benefit of medical and / or scientific services, and legally by the Narcotics Law.

However, so far, he said, there has not been a single legal marijuana producer who has been assisted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In principle, he said, as mentioned in Kepmentan 104/2020, cannabis plant cultivation permits are granted but with due compliance with the provisions of the legislation.

“Plant abuse is a separate part, and of course there are separate regulations,” he explained.

Also read: 10 countries that legalize marijuana as a medicinal drug