Soeharto says the government is able to fight Ecstasy abuse

Soeharto says the government is able to fight Ecstasy abuse

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto told Indonesian youths the
government will be able to go all out in its fight against the
trafficking of the rave-scene stimulant Ecstasy, now that a legal
base for the campaign is being prepared.

Speaking informally with a delegation of model students and
other young high achievers at Merdeka Palace yesterday, Soeharto
said the authorities' efforts to fight abuse of the psychotropic
substance were previously hampered because of the absence of
regulations.

"There was doubt over whether Ecstasy could be considered an
illegal drug ... This doubt hampered the government," he said.
"Now, regulations on (abuse of psychotropic substances) are being
drawn up. Then, whoever violates the regulations will be brought
to court."

"We couldn't bring an Ecstasy trafficker to court without such
legal base. The government would be accused of acting
arbitrarily," he said.

Soeharto was responding to a student's suggestion that the
government close down entertainment spots which double as venues
for trafficking of addictive drugs. "The widespread use of
Ecstasy has created the impression that all youths use it. In
reality, only a handful of teens do," the student said.

"The government shouldn't show traffickers and abusers any
mercy," the student said.

The students had just concluded a two-week tour to a number of
major cities where they met their peers to discuss contemporary
youth problems, including drug abuse. Soeharto was accompanied
yesterday by, among others, Minister of Social Services Inten
Soeweno and State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono
Isman.

On Thursday, Minister of Health Sujudi presented for
deliberation by the House of Representatives the bill on the
ratification of the 1971 United Nations Convention on
Psychotropic Substances. As of last December, 140 countries have
ratified the Convention.

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
that are directly under the control of their governments or
specifically approved by them.

The document covers subjects such as control of preparations,
licenses, special administrations, prescriptions, warnings 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.

In addition, the government is also preparing a bill on
psychotropic substances of its own. Experts at the Ministry of
Health have reportedly finished the draft, but have yet to submit
if formally to the House of Representatives.

Azrul Azwar, chairman of the Indonesian Medical Association
who consults with the ministry's experts, said the bill on the
ratification of the Convention will bind Indonesia to join the
international campaign against abuse of substances such as
Ecstasy.

"It's better to ratify the Convention first before preparing
our own bill," he said. "However, if necessary, the government
can undertake the two tasks at the same time."

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. (swe/31)