Malaysia’s government plans to drop criminal penalties for the possession and use of drugs in small quantities to battle addiction, but stressed the move is not akin to legalising narcotics. Malaysia has one of the world’s harshest penalties for drug possession . Anyone found with 200 grams (7.05 ounces) of cannabis, 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of opium, 40 grams (1.41 ounces) of cocaine, and 15 grams (0.53 ounces) of heroin or morphine face being charged with drug trafficking, which carries the death penalty. More than 1,200 prisoners are on death row, most of them convicted of drug crimes. Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said in a statement Thursday that the proposal for the decriminalisation of drug addiction will be a significant game changer. He said drug addiction is a complex, relapsing medical condition and throwing an addict into jail will not cure them. Philippine drug war deaths pile up as Duterte admits losing control “Drug decriminalisation will indeed be a critical next step toward achieving a rational drug policy that puts science and public health before punishment and incarceration,” Dzulkefly said. “An addict shall be treated as a patient, not as a criminal, whose addiction is a disease we would like to cure.” He said the move must not be mistaken as legalising drugs as drug trafficking will remain a crime. Open to dope: Japanese junior high school students are OK with marijuana use, survey suggests More than 30 countries have adopted a drug decriminalisation policy and research showed that it did not increase drug use or drug-related crimes but helped to cut legal cost and improved social outcomes, he said. Officials said the proposal is still in an initial stage and details have not been worked out. Earlier this week, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said most of the 70,000 prisoners in Malaysia’s jails were drug addicts. With the proposed decriminalisation, he said the addicts will be rehabilitated and given treatment, with strong support from family members and the community. An addict shall be treated as a patient, not as a criminal, whose addiction is a disease we would like to cure Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad His ministry will look into the repealing of drug laws that criminalise the use of narcotics, he said but did not give further details. More than two dozen medical and health groups have lauded the government’s plan. In a joint statement, the groups including the Malaysian Medical Association and the Aids Council said the present approach of punitive actions has led to harmful consequences including severe overcrowding in prisons and the spread of infectious diseases. They said criminalisation creates a cycle of imprisonment and poverty, with many drug users afraid to seek medical help for fear of punishment and a criminal record. In contrast, they said local evidence has shown that treatment of drug use reduces relapse and allows addicts to return to gainful employment, reconnect back with families and contribute meaningfully to societies.