Bill on psychotropic drugs submitted to House for debate

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Health Sujudi yesterday submitted for deliberation by the House of Representatives the long-awaited bill on psychotropic substances.

The bill, which is a ratification of the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, gives serious attention to public health and social problems resulting from abuse of certain psychotropic substances, he said.

As of December 1995, 140 countries have ratified the Convention.

"The government is determined to prevent and combat the abuse of such substances and its illegal trafficking," Sujudi told the House's plenary session.

The increase in the trafficking of psychotropic drugs, such as Ecstasy, is a cause for alarm both at the national and international levels, he pointed out.

"The adverse influence of the substances will not only affect our younger generation, but also erode national security," Sujudi said.

Campaign against substance abuse requires a good coordination among agencies, even among countries, in order to be effective, he said.

"We did not ratify the convention earlier because we thought we could handle the problem of abuse of psychotropic substances on our own," he said. "Now, we're finding that we can't do it alone because it also involves other countries."

The Convention prohibits any use of psychotropic substances except for scientific and very limited medical purposes, by duly authorized persons, and in medical and scientific establishments which are directly under the control of their governments or specifically approved by them.

The 33 articles of the Convention cover subjects such as control of preparations, licenses, special administrations, prescriptions, warning on packages and advertising, records, provisions relating to international trade, prohibition of and restrictions on export and import, and measures of inspection.

The document stipulates that all countries adopting the Convention should take, based on their legal systems and domestic laws, strict measures against abuse of the substances and against their illicit traffic.

Prior to the bill's presentation, the government had received many complaints and expressions of concern over the increasingly widespread use of Ecstasy among wealthy teenagers and ravegoers in major cities, particularly because Indonesia's law on narcotics is considered inadequate.

The 1992 Health Law also does not cover Ecstasy.

Police have been hampered in their fight against Ecstasy because the 1976 Anti-narcotics Law does not classify the drug as a narcotic. The law confines narcotics to marijuana, cocaine and morphine.

Police have resorted to using a 1949 Law on Dangerous Drugs, the 1992 Health Law -- which deals with the distribution of substandard drugs -- and Article 204 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the supply of dangerous drugs.

Possession of and trafficking in Ecstasy are illegal under the 1992 Health Law No. 23. Anyone caught breaking this law can be sentenced up to 15 years in jail or be fined up to Rp 300 million.

The drug can reportedly be purchased at some discotheques and nightspots frequented by Jakarta's wealthy teenagers. Before becoming popular, one Ecstasy capsule cost between Rp 100,000 and Rp 200,000. (31)