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Rehabilitation Becomes an Effective Government Approach in Efforts to Eradicate Drugs

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By Linda Kusumawardhani )*

The issue of drug abuse and distribution in Indonesia has reached a very worrying level. Based on data from the BNN Research, Data, and Information Center in 2024, there were 3,337,911 drug users among the population aged 15-64 years. This figure shows that the drug problem not only threatens the younger generation, but also has a broad impact on the country’s social and economic stability. Therefore, the government’s steps in addressing this problem, especially through a rehabilitation approach, are very relevant.

To eradicate drugs, the government is discussing granting amnesty to 44,000 prisoners currently occupying correctional institutions (prisons) throughout Indonesia. Most of them are drug convicts. This plan is motivated by overcapacity reaching 95.34 percent, where the total prison population in 2023 was recorded at 267,672 people, while the capacity was only 137,031 people. In addition, the burden on the state budget to manage prisons is very large, including for food costs, infrastructure, and officer salaries.

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that in the new Criminal Code, drug users are no longer criminalized, but rehabilitated. Drug users are categorized as victims who require guidance by the state. This policy is a progressive step that not only aims to reduce prison overcrowding, but also focuses on the recovery of affected individuals.

The rehabilitation approach to drug users is based on Article 54 of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, which states that addicts and victims of drug abuse are required to undergo medical and social rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation offers a more humane and effective solution than detention. Arresting and detaining drug users often does not solve the root of the problem. On the contrary, rehabilitation allows users to recover medically and socially, so that they can return to being productive in society.

Head of the BNN, Commissioner General of Police. Marthinus Hukom emphasized that drug users who voluntarily report themselves should not be punished. The state has an obligation to provide treatment through rehabilitation regulated by the applicable legal framework. According to Marthinus Hukom, drug users are victims who need an integrated assessment-based approach to determine the right treatment steps.

However, the effectiveness of this policy depends on the availability of adequate rehabilitation facilities. Currently, Indonesia has limited rehabilitation centers. For example, the BNN Rehabilitation Center in Lido, Bogor Regency, can only accommodate 500 people, far from enough to accommodate tens of thousands of users who need these services. Therefore, accelerating the development of rehabilitation facilities is an urgent priority.

Although rehabilitation has great potential to reduce the negative impacts of drugs, this policy also faces challenges. The pardon of 44,000 inmates in prison for drug cases, for example, can have a negative impact if not accompanied by strong preventive measures. Without adequate supervision and guidance, there is a risk that some of them will be involved again in the drug trafficking network. This is an opportunity for drug business actors to expand their operations.

NTB DPRD Chairperson, Baiq Isvie Rupaeda, encouraged the acceleration of the provision of rehabilitation facilities in the regions, such as at the Mutiara Sukma Mental Hospital and the NTB General Hospital. According to him, the rehabilitation policy must be a priority for the Provincial Government in 2025. This policy is considered very important because it aims to provide guidance to drug users, not to punish them. This step is expected to be a more sustainable long-term solution.

In addition, the government must ensure that the selection process for prisoners who receive amnesty is carried out strictly. Otherwise, drug dealers who have experience running illegal businesses can return to society with more sophisticated strategies. Law enforcement officers must improve their ability to anticipate the entry of drugs from abroad, which is the main source of this problem.

The Prabowo-Gibran government, with the vision of “Together Indonesia Progressing Towards Golden Indonesia 2045,” has made drug prevention and eradication one of 17 priority programs. This program is an elaboration of the Astacita mission Number 7, namely strengthening political, legal, and bureaucratic reforms, as well as strengthening the prevention and eradication of corruption and drugs. This commitment shows that the drug issue is not only a matter of law enforcement, but also an integral part of national development.

Prevention of illicit drug trafficking must be carried out comprehensively, from the local to the international level. Therefore, theting for all parties, including the community, to build awareness of the dangers of drugs. Anti-drug education and campaigns in schools and communities are also an important part of the prevention strategy.

In dealing with the complex drug problem, the government has taken strategic steps, namely through a rehabilitation approach. By changing the paradigm from punishment to recovery, Indonesia can create a fairer and more effective system in dealing with the impacts of drug abuse. However, the success of this policy requires infrastructure support, cross-sector coordination, and shared commitment.

As part of the grand vision of Indonesia Emas 2045, eradicating drugs through rehabilitation is not only an effort to overcome legal and social problems, but also an investment in the future of the nation. By building a generation free from drugs, Indonesia can move further towards its ideals of becoming a prosperous and just developed country.

)* the author is a social policy observer

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