Aceh may legalise cannabis

This picture taken on April 26, 2018 shows Indonesian police destroying marijuana plants during a raid on a marijuana plantation in Indrapuri, Aceh province.

Jakarta: Calls for cannabis legalisation are on the rise in the conservative Muslim province of Aceh as local leaders believe the move will boost economic development in the region, where cultivation of the substance is already widespread.

Indonesia, which has one of the strictest drug laws in the world, currently prohibits the possession and use of marijuana. According to the 2009 Law on Narcotics, marijuana is a type-1 narcotic, putting it on par with crystal methamphetamine and heroin, which are illegal for consumption including for medical purposes.