BPOM prepares national campaign to prevent drug misuse

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) is preparing a national campaign or action to prevent the misuse of certain drugs, which has been deemed increasingly concerning in recent years. “Insha’Allah, we will carry out a national action on preventing misuse and request support (from Commission IX of the DPR) in this context,” said BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar during a hearing with Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday. BPOM hopes that through this national campaign, awareness among Indonesians of the dangers of drug misuse will increase, while also strengthening comprehensive oversight efforts. In addition to preparing the national campaign, Taruna said his agency is also working to strengthen cross-stakeholder collaborations and improve public education to prevent drug misuse in the country. Furthermore, Taruna highlighted an example of drug misuse, namely ketamine. It is known that ketamine is one of the drugs with potential for misuse. Ketamine is an anaesthetic drug that is medically used for surgical procedures and pain management, but it can cause hallucinogenic effects if used outside its indications. BPOM records show that ketamine distribution has increased significantly in recent years, from around 134,000 in 2022 to 235,000 in 2023, and surging to 440,000 in 2024.