Indonesian Politician Recommends Marijuana In Food

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf, who opposes legalising marijuana, doesn't mind the drug being used in cooking.

"It's alright to use it as a food seasoning, but it should not be fully legalised", Kalla told a local paper.

He was commenting on a recent study by two Indonesian agencies dealing with drug abuse that recommended the government review its policy to outlaw the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.

Many dishes in the Aceh province, where hemp plants are grown, such as mutton and beef curry are routinely laced with marijuana seeds to give them a distinctive local flavour.

Ratna Dwikora, the owner of an Acehnese food restaurant in Jakarta, comments "marijuana is available in any Acehnese kitchen just like coriander. Marijuana is a widely-accepted cooking spice".

Indonesia imposes harsh penalties, including death, for narcotic offences as the country faces a growing drug menace.

Six young Australians were sentenced to death last year for heroin smuggling on Bali, sparking anger in Australia where capital punishment has been abolished.

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