We can all hopefully agree that children should never do drugs, mmkay. But one textbook for a primary school in the city of South Tangerang is causing quite an outrage for listing marijuana and cocaine as having medicinal benefits.
The controversial science textbook was distributed to grade 5 students at Serua Indah 01 Public Primary School in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang recently. On the 29th page, the book lists that leaves can be beneficial to humans for many reasons, including marijuana and cocaine (from coca leaves) for medicinal use.
The school has not given a statement regarding the textbook, but an unnamed teacher told the media that the book has been used by the school for a long time.
Bakti Ilmu, the book’s publisher, said they are looking into the controversy.
“Tomorrow we’re holding a meeting with the relevant technical team. I’m not ready to place the blame on anyone yet,” said Bakti Ilmu representative Heri Mansur, as quoted by Okezone today.
Whether or not primary school children should learn about the medicinal benefits of illegal drugs is open for debate. However, the textbook actually isn’t wrong in that both cocaine and marijuana have medicinal benefits. Cocaine, for example, can be used as a local anesthetic due to its rapid numbing properties, while marijuana is legal in some countries if used as medicine to stimulate appetite, relieve chronic pain, and treat glaucoma patients among many other uses.
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