AIDS model could be emulated to help reduce drug use, says expert

 

A more holistic approach is needed to tackle the problem of drug addiction. (AFP pic)

PETALING JAYA: The model used to manage the AIDS epidemic in Malaysia, where community organisations are brought in to help the government’s efforts, could be an effective strategy in battling drug addiction in Malaysia, an expert has said.

With the rate of addiction steadily increasing, a move away from a punitive approach to one favouring support and rehabilitation for drug users, which has seen success internationally, would be a more effective way to bring drug use under control.

The government can learn from the success of its AIDS policy in addressing drug use, Persatuan Pengasih president Malaysia Ramli Samad said in an online forum organised by “Support Don’t Punish”.

“The drug issue doesn’t belong to any single individual, agency or NGO. It’s the people’s problem. It’s a national problem,” he said.

“In the 90’s, we had the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the health ministry’s approach was to share the responsibility with community-based organisations. Now we see the outcome, and Malaysia has some of the best results in the world through this approach.”

In the same way, private rehabilitation centres and community support systems would be leveraged in order to provide a more holistic approach to tackling drug addiction.

He added that laws such as the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 and Drug Dependents (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 are not relevant anymore and need amending to put greater emphasis on rehabilitation rather than criminal punishments.

Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the former dean of Universiti Malaya’s medical faculty, said there was ample evidence to show the effects of drug use on one’s brain chemistry, adding that it was an element of addiction that was not solved by putting a drug user in jail.

She cited a study performed in Iran where active users underwent functional MRIs and were exposed to images of drug paraphernalia, which showed the physiological impact drug use can have on the areas of the brain responsible for cravings and urges.

As such, she said addiction should be treated as a disease that requires medical attention and social support, to provide users with ample opportunities to recover. - FMT