Death for Ecstasy syndicates

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives yesterday endorsed a bill on psychotropic drugs that will allow courts to sentence members of syndicates trafficking in Ecstasy to death.

The clause on the death penalty was an addition to the original bill, reflecting growing public concern on the increasing abuse of Ecstasy in Indonesia, particularly among youths.

The bill also allows the court to punish anyone producing, using, distributing, possessing or storing psychotropic drugs without due authorization.

All four factions of the House agreed to pass the bill, which will become law as soon as it is signed by President Soeharto.

The bill recognizes four different categories of psychotropic drugs. Ecstasy falls into the first category for the most dangerous and harmful ones. Any abuse of these drugs carry the heaviest penalties.

The bill reserves the stiffest sentence for members of organized crime syndicates dealing in Ecstasy: the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in jail and a Rp 750 million ($326,000) fine.

"The maximum sentence is the same for narcotics," commented Minister of Health Sujudi, who represented the government at the House's plenary hearing yesterday.

But for other offenses, the bill sets penalties ranging from a minimum of four years to a maximum of 15 years imprisonment, and penalties ranging from Rp 150 million to Rp 750 million.

Indonesian law enforcement agents have had difficulties in obtaining convictions for people arrested either for trafficking or possession of Ecstasy because the drug is not classified under the 1976 Anti-Narcotic Law.

They have had to resort to an article on the distribution of dangerous drugs under the 1992 Health Law which only deals with distribution. Few people have been convicted under this article.

Sujudi in his final statement before the bill was endorsed described to the House the Ecstasy menace in Indonesia: over 300,000 pills and 444 grams of powder were seized last year.

In addition, 53,290 Ritalin-10 pills, and 25,000 Apetinil-Depo capsules and 30,000 Nipam pills -- both appetite suppressants -- were confiscated, he said.

While the bill seeks to deal with Ecstasy abuse, it guarantees supply to those who require psychotropic drugs for health reasons, although under very strict medical supervision.

When submitted by the government in September, the bill contained 67 articles. By the time it was endorsed yesterday, it had 74 articles.

The bill stipulates that psychotropic drugs like Ecstasy could only be used for very specific research reasons and conducted by a specially designated health professionals authorized by the Minister of Health.

The bill outlawed any production of the Category I of the psychotropic drugs. The few drugs required for research and specific medical reasons will have to be imported.

Pharmaceutical producers and government medical stockades are the authorized distributors of psychotropic drugs while drugstores, hospitals, public health centers, rehabilitation centers and doctors can administer them.

Foreigners entering Indonesia are permitted to bring these drugs for medical reasons only, and they must show doctor's prescriptions and written statements. The bill also sets a limit on the number of these drugs foreigners can bring into the country. (01)