Kuala lumpur: The Alliance for a Safe Community has urged for a more compassionate and evidence-based approach in addressing drug addiction, stressing that addicts should be treated as patients rather than criminals. Commenting on the amended drug law which came into effect yesterday, its chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said drug addiction is fundamentally a health issue and must be tackled pragmatically through treatment and rehabilitation.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the amended Drug and Substance Dependants and Misusers (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 took effect on August 22, focusing on treatment and rehabilitation while expanding the role of the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK). Lee stressed that addicts should only face criminal charges if they committed a crime. "Unless an addict commits a crime, they should not be treated as criminals. What they truly need is proper medical care, treatment, and rehabilitation to recover and rebuild their lives," he said.

Lee noted that imprisonment often worsens the problem by trapping addicts further in the cycle of addiction and stigma, without addressing the root causes. He urged the government to strengthen rehabilitation programmes to ensure they are more accessible, effective, and holistic, incorporating counselling, skills training, and employment pathways for reintegration into society.

He emphasized the importance of encouraging voluntary rehabilitation, stating that addicts should feel safe and supported to come forward and seek help, without fear of punishment or discrimination. "We must shift our mindset: drug addicts are patients in need of care, not criminals to be punished. With compassion, rehabilitation, and opportunity, many of them can turn over a new leaf and contribute meaningfully to the community and the nation," he said.