Mainstreaming harm reduction in drug policy in Indonesia

Indonesia continues to adopt a punitive approach framed by a war on drugs narrative. This stance was prominently reinforced in 2015 by former President Joko Widodo, who declared a national commitment to combating narcotics. Law enforcement agencies have since implemented this directive through widespread arrests and severe penalties, aiming to create a deterrent effect and reduce drug-related crimes. However, nearly a decade into this approach, Indonesia has yet to achieve the envisioned goal of becoming narcotics-free. Instead, structural challenges have emerged, including the infringement of fundamental human rights, particularly when state power intersects with the criminal justice system.