Calls for cannabis legalization 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.

Despite the ban, cannabis cultivation remains common in Aceh. In response, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has established the Grand Design Alternative Development (GDAD) 2016-2025 program, which aims to decrease the cultivation of cannabis in three regencies in the province by encouraging farmers to shift to other commodities. This is part of the country's fight against the use of marijuana, which is used by 63 percent of Indonesia's 3.6 million illegal drug users aged 15 to 65, according to the agency.