KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) chairperson Professor Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman has called on the government to revamp its drug policy and formulate a progressive, evidence-based and humane approach.

The HIV advocate urged the government to embark on a drug policy reform and continue to take bold steps toward implementing a drug policy rooted in science and human rights.

"This includes decriminalisation of drugs for personal use and possession.

"To achieve this, the government should work closely with academia and civil society, including the newly formed Drug Policy Programme secretariat under MAF.”

Dr Adeeba said drug use disorder is a complex medical condition best managed by trained medical practitioners, not the punitive grasp of the criminal justice system.

"It's time to move away from costly and ineffective mandatory drug urine tests, arrests and detentions.

"Forced institutionalised rehabilitation programmes should be replaced with evidence-based treatment options in the community.”

According to the infectious disease expert, implementing a civil administrative programme within the public health system will effectively reduce criminality and eliminate the stigma associated with individuals who use drugs.

Dr Adeeba lauded the government for making a ground-breaking policy shift to allow individuals with drug-related issues to receive treatment rather than incarceration under item number 208 of the Madani Economic budget announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 13.

"While the details of this item remain under wraps we hope that the strategy and action plans related to this significant policy reform will involve consultation with all key stakeholders including the health sector and affected population.

"We hope that the government stays true to the Madani concept by empowering people to understand drug use and manage drug use disorders accordingly.”

She said incarceration may not be the solution, nor is mandatory drug treatment such as Pusat Serenti.

"We must embark on a more nuanced analysis of drugs, drug use, and drug treatment.”

According to Dr Adeeba, local evidence has shown that community-based treatment of opioid addiction with opiate agonist therapy or methadone is associated with an 80 per cent less risk of relapse when compared to mandatory rehabilitation programmes.

She said community-based programmes are also more cost-effective.

According to statistics from the National Anti-Drugs Agency, drug addiction cases have increased by 27 per cent in the first half of this year to 118,820 addicts compared to 93,534 cases reported in the same period last year.

The agency director-general Sutekno Ahmad Belon was reported saying the upward trend is worrying as more than half of the cases involved youths and teenagers.

He also said Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu were among the states that recorded the highest ratio of drug abuse cases per 100,000 residents, while Selangor recorded the highest number of addicts.