A Comparative Legal Study of Indonesia’s Narcotics Law No. 35 of 2009 and Canada’s Cannabis Regulations SOR/2018-144 on Medical Cannabis Regulation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31941/pj.v24i2.7414Keywords:
Medical Marijuana, Comparative Law, Narcotics Regulations, Indonesia, CanadaAbstract
Cannabis has long been subject to strict legal control due to its psychoactive properties and potential for abuse, while at the same time attracting increasing attention for its potential medical applications. This study examines the legal regulation of medical cannabis through a comparative analysis of Indonesia’s Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics and Canada’s Cannabis Regulations SOR/2018-144. The research addresses two main issues: first, how medical cannabis is regulated under the respective legal frameworks of Indonesia and Canada; and second, how Indonesia’s institutional approach, particularly through the National Narcotics Agency, responds to medical cannabis needs in comparison with Canada’s regulatory model. This study employs normative legal research using statutory and comparative approaches, supported by legal literature and relevant institutional data. The findings indicate that Indonesia adopts a prohibition-based approach by classifying cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic, thereby excluding its use for medical purposes on the basis of abuse prevention and public health protection. In contrast, Canada recognizes the medical use of cannabis and regulates it through a comprehensive licensing, distribution, and supervision system involving healthcare professionals. The comparative analysis highlights fundamental differences in legal priorities, regulatory design, and institutional responses, demonstrating how public health considerations and risk management are addressed differently within each legal system. These findings provide insight into the regulatory implications of divergent legal approaches to medical cannabis within contemporary narcotics law.
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