#leaves typical rencong ground

Flashback History of Cannabis in Aceh

Based on historical reviews, cannabis plants were first discovered in mainland China in 2737 BC. Ancient Chinese society has known and used marijuana in everyday life since the stone age. Chinese people use marijuana for woven clothing, medicines, and healing therapies such as rheumatic diseases, abdominal pain, beri-beri to malaria.



BY its history, marijuana was brought to Aceh from India at the end of the 19th century when the Dutch opened a coffee plantation in the Gayo Highlands. The colonists use marijuana as a natural remedy to avoid the attack of coffee tree pests or caterpillars on tobacco plants. Although the Dutch took him to the highlands of Aceh, but according to the facts, the plant does not mean entirely derived from his country. Could be this plant is collected from other Asian mainland. Among the young people of the archipelago, more familiar marijuana is called bakong ijo, gelek, cimeng or rasta. While other cool designations are tampee, pot, weed, dope.

After many years and sprouting almost throughout Aceh, marijuana began to be consumed, primarily made up of 'good cigarettes', which was slowly mentradisi in Aceh. Even if there is cooking, it is considered not perfect if the marinade is not mixed with marijuana seeds. This tradition is difficult to eradicate or eradicate.

Problem marijuana, certainly not missed Aceh. But the claim can not necessarily be greeted negatively, because it is true. There is even a claim that the land of 1001 rencong is also known as the largest marijuana producer in Southeast Asia after Thailand. Almost every inch of Aceh forest decorated with cannabis plants. Inevitably, the issue of Aceh as a producer of this magic plant has even been worldwide. To the extent that in the 49th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs) on 13-17 March 2006 in Vienna Austria, was also discussed about this phenomenon. It is said again the international community's assumption that Aceh already has a trade mark as the largest 'cannabis' as well as top-quality cannabis suppliers.

The proliferation of marijuana plants in Aceh is strongly supported by geographical conditions, fertile soil, regular rain, and mountainous positions with relatively stable climates, plus isolation due to conflicts since the Dutch era, DI-TII until the era of GAM. Well, people in remote areas are threatened by hunger and poverty due to the conflict. Residents took the initiative to grow marijuana to survive.

Almost no Acehnese who never tasted it, there are those who enjoy it via cigarettes delicious, spice kitchen, dodol, coffee mixture, to be processed into various other types of food, the rest sold out of Aceh.

Why is marijuana prohibited? This is what the public should understand. Though various campaigns have been done, even the government itself has issued a law on the prohibition of the production process, distribution until the stage of consumption of marijuana. Law no. 22 1997 on narcotics classifies cannabis; seeds, fruit, straw, processed or part of cannabis plants including marijuana resin and results as a class I drug which means a class with opium and cocaine.

Article 82 paragraph 1 point a of the Act stipulates that importing, exporting, offering for sale, distributing, selling, buying, handing, receiving, intermediary in buying and selling or exchanging narcotics of Group I, shall be subject to capital punishment or imprisonment for life, or a maximum imprisonment of twenty years and a maximum fine of one billion rupiah.

In Aceh, it was sold freely in the market, hung on kiosks, in vegetable vendors' carts. Cannabis began to be banned when Hoegeng became head of Dutch Colonial government for the archipelago. He wanted to know the cause of Acehnese youth lazing who considered to harm the economy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Then he disguised himself, went to the villages and found the answer: for smoking marijuana.

Abroad, marijuana is divided into two parts, namely marijuana for industrial or medical purposes ie hemp type Hemp, and illegal marijuana is often called Cannabis. While in Indonesia do not recognize this difference, as stated in Law No. 22 of 1997 stated that marijuana is included as a narcotic only.

One of the reasons why marijuana is a forbidden plant is due to THC substances. This substance can cause the user to be drunk for a moment if wrong use. Actual levels of THC substances present in cannabis plants can be controlled for their quality and levels if cannabis is managed and monitored with the correct process.