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)