Decriminalising drug use can help save lives, redirect resources for infectious diseases, says Malaysia deputy health minister

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni today called for an urgent drug policy reform, emphasising the need for decriminalisation.

He said it is an approach grounded in the principles of public health, human rights and social justice, in which re-envisioning existing drug policies bring about multiple benefits to the health sector.

“Decriminalising drug use helps to minimise harmful consequences associated with drug use, allowing us to redirect resources from punitive measures to harm reduction strategies, such as needle exchange programmes and the provision of life-saving medications like methadone.

“Also, when drug use is decriminalised, individuals are more likely to seek treatment and support, leading to better health outcomes, including reductions in the transmission of infectious diseases and other drug-related harms,” he said.

The issue was highlighted in his keynote speech at the International Society of Addiction Medicine’s (ISAM) regional meeting today, themed ‘Managing Addiction through Integrated Intervention in the Challenging Era’.