Govt to submit psychotropic bill

BANDUNG (JP): The government will present a long-awaited bill on psychotropic substances to the House of Representatives later this month, Minister of Health Sujudi announced yesterday.

"The office of State Secretary will present the draft law to the House of Representatives for deliberation," Sujudi told reporters after opening a mosque at the Mitra Banjaran condom factory.

The 1992 Health Law does not cover Ecstasy, a rave scene drug.

"We can use the law against users or traffickers of Ecstasy, but we need a law on psychotropic substances so that its abuse can be handled thoroughly," Sujudi said.

He explained that the bill would contain details of Ecstasy's raw materials. "The main target of the bill is to prohibit trade, distribution or usage of the materials," Sujudi said.

He said the bill would differ from Indonesia's 19-year-old anti-narcotics law in terms of drug classifications.

Narcotics make people frail and weak, while psychotropic drugs such as Ecstasy make people energetic, he said.

"But both are dangerous and should be controlled. We don't want our youths to be ruined by those drugs," Sujudi said.

Sujudi was disappointed by the arrest of 177 youths at an Ecstasy party in Cikole, Lembang on Saturday night.

"It's a pity. They could have chosen to use their time wisely, to study or conduct religious activities," he said.

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.

Possessing and trafficking Ecstasy are illegal under Health Law No. 23, which was issued in 1992. People caught breaking this law can spend up to 15 years in jail or be fined up to Rp 300 million.

Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is popular among Indonesian youths who attend parties known as "raves".

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. (17/31)