Near impossible to research marijuana in M'sia, says group

An advocate for medical marijuana today claimed that it has been nearly impossible for individuals or groups to conduct cannabis-related research in Malaysia as the plant remains defined as a narcotic under the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952.

Malaysian Society of Awareness (Masa) president Intan Mustika Putri Mokhtar (above) said the government had purportedly rejected foreign studies on the medical use of marijuana and subsequently requested for local evidence to support medical marijuana legalisation.

"But because cannabis is listed under Part 1 of the First Schedule of the DDA, this means (the law assumes) it has no benefits from a medical perspective.

"That (listing) has made it almost impossible for us to conduct medical research on marijuana," said Intan Mustika who spoke as a panellist at a forum organised by Masa in Kuala Lumpur.

"Even to take synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the active ingredient in cannabis) for research takes almost a year. This based on what I understand from Universiti Putra Malaysia's study of how THC reacts in the brain.

"They had to wait a year for synthesised THC to come into their lab," she said in reference to a team of UPM neuroscientists which in January released outcomes of their two-year study which reportedly found evidence linking THC to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's.

The Health Ministry previously said the government would consider legalising marijuana for medical use if pharmaceutical firms could demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of the substance with data-based research.

While admitting that individual testimonies were considered to be the lowest form of evidence in medical studies, Intan Mustika said she had come across many individuals with terminal diseases who allegedly benefited from the use of medical marijuana.

"These people, although doctors have lost hope of them recovering, they could lose hope in their own selves.

"So they did their own research. Is there any other way they can save themselves? And of course, they will bump into cannabis because (medical) cannabis is used worldwide right now," she stressed.

She also shared her own personal experience of being diagnosed with renal failure but avoided undergoing dialysis treatment purportedly due to the use of medical marijuana.

'No law amendments necessary'

Arguments surrounding calls for the legalisation of medical marijuana were reignited due to a spotlight, among others, on convictions under the DDA against individuals who used THC to assist patients.

Lawyer Farhan Maaruf (below) pointed out at today's forum that several types of chemical components found in cannabis, however, were listed under Part 3 of the DDA's First Schedule along with other drugs which could be possessed with authorisation from the Health Ministry.

""We don't need to amend any laws. The provisions are already there.

"What we need is the same authorisation that you (the Health Ministry) has given for all these opiates," he said.

"If the Health Ministry can issue authorisation letters for drugs such as morphine or heroin, they can also issue the same letter for THC," said Farhan, adding that he had raised similar arguments for the defence of his client, 29-year-old Muhammad Lukman.

"If you can give these drugs authorisation, why not give marijuana a chance? This is all we are asking," he added.

Lukman was arrested on December 2015 for possession of 3.1 litres of cannabis oil, 279 grams of compressed cannabis and 1.4 kilogrammes of substances containing THC.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the time said that the government should review Lukman's case which is currently under appeal at the courts. - Mkini