Academics who have conducted in-depth studies on drug addiction are commending the government’s proposal to treat narcotics users with rehabilitation instead of sending them to jail.
Assoc Prof Dr Norruzeyati Che Mohd Nasir of Universiti Utara Malaysia’s School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy said drug addiction is a mental health condition, so incarcerating drug addicts might increase the risk of a relapse after they are released from prison.
She said drug addiction is treatable, and with medication, counselling and motivation therapies in addition to family support, addicts can turn their lives around.“Punishing drug addicts with imprisonment does not ameliorate substance abuse disorders or other related problems.
“We should recognise drug addiction as a health issue and stop meting out punishment that will hinder them from receiving treatment,” she added.
Citing a study on rehabilitation programmes for incarcerated drug offenders, which she and her team had conducted, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) faculty of Arts and Social Science Assoc Prof Dr Cheah Phaik Kin said it was found that drug users face a variety of challenges that goes beyond dependency on the substance.
These challenges are likely to contribute to a relapse, so rehabilitation programs must be tailored to meet the diverse needs of drug addicts, including mental health support, education and skills training, she said.
“We look forward to a change of strategy and approach from the government as we ultimately want a solution that is effective and sustainable.
“We want drug addicts to be free of drugs, independent, contribute to society and be law-abiding members of the community,” Assoc Prof Cheah said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Drug Research Prof Dr Vicknasingam Kasinather said it has been proven that the incarceration of addicts yields poor outcomes in battling drug addiction.
He said there is also clear medical evidence that drug addiction causes brain damage and it is crucial for a medical health-based approach to the problem.
“When they are jailed, we will not be treating the mental health aspect of addicts. Repeated use of drugs can cause brain damage.
“Rehabilitation should be carried out within the community and not in rehabilitation centres except for those with severe mental health problems. Such centres are artificial environments and are not effective because addicts need to learn and adapt to regular society,” said Prof Kasinather.
He said the risk of addicts turning to crime is also reduced when they are treated for their condition especially within the community.“When you look at an addict, you will see that his whole life is chaotic. His social life, family life and everything around him is chaotic. When addicts are under treatment, they are well-managed within the community and will not opt for undesirable activities.
“Their lives will be more organised. They might relapse – they are bound to – but when they are under treatment, it would be easier to get them back on the right track.
“It is the same when someone has diabetes and is required to change their lifestyle,” he said.
Criminologist Prof Emeritus N. Prabha Unnithan, who recently retired from Colorado State University, United States, after four decades and is also an adjunct professor at UTAR, said Malaysia and the United States have researched and published extensively on drug issues.
He also lauded Malaysia’s proposal to decriminalise the possession and ingestion of small amounts of a drug.
“It is a step in the right direction,” he said.
According to him, sending those arrested and charged for such offenses to drug rehabilitation centres is more in line with progressive international practices.
“As our research indicates, a major problem with sending such individuals to prison is the negative labelling, societal avoidance, and aversion they face once back in the community,” he said.
Prof Prabha Unnithan emphasized the need for individualised treatment, saying: “Not everyone who uses drugs casually is a drug ‘addict’. Treatment needs to be as individualised as possible and include programmes that are devised to help.”
However, he voiced concerns about the system’s capacity to handle the change.
“I hope there is enough space available in Malaysian drug treatment centres, as I can see them quickly becoming overwhelmed once the new law takes effect,” he said.
According to the National Anti-Drug Agency’s statistics, which were shared with The Star, there were 137,176 drug addicts in 2022.For the first six months of this year, there were 118,820 drug addicts, an increase of 27% compared to 93,534 drug addicts for the same period last year. More than 95% of them were men.
The agency said almost half of them are from Johor, Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
About 6,107 drug addicts under the agency are undergoing the institutional treatment and rehabilitation programme at the Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centres while an estimated 50,187 are under the community treatment and rehabilitation programme. “Treatment needs to be as individualised as possible and include programmes that are devised to help.”Prof Emeritus N. Prabha Unnithan
