Written by Rin Aulia. Photo courtesy of LGN.
In May 2025, the Head of Indonesia’s Narcotics National Board (BNN), Marthinus Hukom, boldly stated before the country’s House of Representatives (DPR) that the board would initiate medical cannabis research, the Jakarta Globe reports.
The research would be conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Research and Innovation Agency, using the BNN’s forensic laboratory facilities. In July 2025, the BNN approached Udayana University in Bali for participation.
Constitutional Court Decisions to Date
The BNN’s initiative is particularly significant given that the Constitutional Court has repeatedly rejected legalization and challenged the lack of Indonesian scientific evidence:
- In July 2022, the Constitutional Court rejected a petition seeking to legalize medical cannabis. The Court stated that cannabis remains classified as a Schedule I narcotic, with its use only for scientific advancement, not therapy.
- The Court rejected the argument that medical cannabis should be permitted based on the right to health. The Court stated that there is no comprehensive scientific basis in Indonesia to justify cannabis as a medical therapy.
- A more recent decision in March 2024 reaffirmed that ruling. The Court again rejected a lawsuit from the parents of a patient with cerebral palsy requesting that medical cannabis be legal or re-classified. However, the Court maintained that the use of Schedule I narcotics for medical use could be considered in the future if the government conducts adequate scientific research and the regulatory system is supportive.
Months Later: No Visible Progress
In July 2025, the cannabis advocacy group Lingkar Ganja Nusantara (LGN) formally requested an audience with BNN. The letter asked for an official meeting with the head of BNN. LGN requested clarification on the research design, research stages, and civil society involvement in medical cannabis research. As of November 2025, LGN had not received any response.
LGN stressed that medical cannabis research is an urgent public need, especially for patients who require alternative treatment options.
“We fully support and encourage this research. But the process must be open and inclusive. We need to know who is involved, how far the research has progressed, and how the public can access the information,” said Riyadh Fakhruddin, head of LGN, during a public discussion in Jakarta in July 2025.
As of November 2025, relevant officials had not disclosed any details to the public. No research protocol had been published. No research team had been announced. And no study had been officially registered. Despite announcements to the media, it’s unclear whether research had actually begun. The situation raises concerns that the initiative remained merely political rhetoric, rather than a concrete scientific program.
Falling Behind in Southeast Asia
The regional contrast is clear. Thailand legalized medical cannabis in 2018 and by 2020 had established dedicated clinics. Many countries worldwide allow medical cannabis—as of 2021, 64 countries had laws or guidelines for medical-use of cannabinoid products.
Indonesia, despite being the world’s fourth most populous country, continues to hesitate.
Public debate inside Indonesia is beginning to shift. On October 21, 2025, Sabang Mayor Zulkifli Adam raised a proposal during a meeting between the House of Representatives’ Legislative Body (Badan Legislasi DPR RI) and Aceh’s regional leadership. Adam suggested allowing cannabis cultivation in Aceh strictly for medical purposes. He stressed that the proposal focused solely on controlled production for health needs.
Adam argued that regulated medical cannabis cultivation could become a new source of local revenue. He cited Thailand, where medical cannabis commands high market prices, and suggested Aceh could remain competitive even at lower prices under proper regulation. The discussion did not stop at the regional level.
On November 26, 2025, Member of Parliament Siti Aisyah raised a similar proposal during a Badan Legislasi DPR working meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Trade. The meeting discussed drafting the Strategic Commodities Bill, which aims to regulate the governance and trade of national commodities.
Aisyah proposed that medical cannabis be considered within the bill’s framework. She said the proposal reflected aspirations she heard directly from communities in Aceh. According to her, residents questioned why medical cannabis could not be legal with strict regulations.
Aisyah argued that revenue from regulated medical cannabis could reduce dependence on special autonomy funds. She described the issue as strategic and worthy of policy priority.
The Chair of Badan Legislasi DPR, Bob Hasan, responded positively in the meeting. He suggested that regulation could help localize and minimize misuse, rather than worsen it.
These interventions show a clear shift. While BNN continues to delay transparent medical cannabis research, both local and national lawmakers have begun openly discussing cannabis in medical and economic terms. The debate is moving faster than policy, deepening the gap between public discourse and regulatory action.
Discrepancies Between Local and National Priorities
If local leaders and lawmakers are beginning to speak openly about medical cannabis, why has there been little progress from BNN?
- As a law enforcement agency, BNN’s primary mandate is drug prevention and control. Cannabis is treated mainly as an object of enforcement, rather than a subject of health research. When law enforcement leads medical research, caution outweighs speed and transparency.
- Cannabis’ Schedule I status places BNN in a complex position. On one hand, the Constitutional Court has instructed the government to carry out scientific research. On the other hand, the existing legal framework still prohibits medical use. Without clear regulatory protection, implementation carries legal and political risk.
- BNN has stated that medical cannabis research does not equal legalization. While this statement aims to reassure the public, it also signals that the research is not yet linked to a clear policy pathway. Without definitive objectives or outcomes, the research lacks urgency and timelines.
- The lack of transparency compounds the problem. To date, BNN has not published research protocols, identified research teams, or disclosed timelines. This limits public oversight and makes it difficult to assess progress. Without transparency, accountability is weakened.
LGN notes that civil society and health professionals have not been meaningfully involved in the process. Their absence suggests that the research remains institution-centric, rather than patient-oriented.
These factors help explain the slow movement. Announcements create the impression of responsiveness. Delay avoids legal and political risks. Meanwhile, policy remains unchanged.
A Critical Crossroads
Indonesia’s approach to medical cannabis now sits at a critical crossroads. The Constitutional Court has provided a clear direction. Research must come before policy change. Public debate has moved forward. Local leaders and members of parliament have begun to speak openly about medical and economic pathways.
What remains missing is clarity in action. Without transparency, research cannot function as the basis for evidence-based policy.
As long as medical cannabis research stays under a law enforcement lens, progress will likely remain slow. Legal caution and political calculation sideline health needs, patient safety, and scientific inquiry.
The question is no longer whether Indonesia can conduct medical cannabis research. The country has the institutions, experts, and facilities to do so. The question is whether the government is willing to shift leadership, open the process to public scrutiny, and treat medical cannabis as a health issue rather than solely a security concern.
Until that happens, Indonesia’s medical cannabis research will remain exactly where it is today.
Leave a Reply