Indonesia’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday rejected a judicial review of the country’s narcotics law that would have paved the way for legalising marijuana for medicinal use.

Three mothers of children with cerebral palsy backed by civil society organisations filed a judicial review of the country’s strict narcotics law in 2020, arguing for the use of medicinal marijuana to treat symptoms.

The judges said there was insufficient research to justify a ruling in favour of the plaintiffs, but urged the government to “immediately” conduct research on the therapeutic usage of narcotics.

“The court needs to emphasise that the government [should] immediately follow up … The results of which can be used to determine policies, including in this case the possibility of changing the law,” said judge Suhartoyo, who like many Indonesians uses one name only.

Decriminalisation of cannabis would be a dramatic shift for the Southeast Asian nation, which has one of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws with penalties for possession or trafficking of large quantities of narcotics including life imprisonment and death.

The plaintiffs had argued that not being allowed to use narcotics for medical reasons was a constitutional violation of citizens’ rights to obtain health services and benefit from the development of science and technology. [Read more at Reuters]