Treating addiction innovatively

Image: NICK YOUNGSON/Alpha Stock Images/CC

EARLIER this week, a news portal’s report said that prison costs for drug offences amount to RM1bil annually according to the Home Ministry, sparking conversations about how we address this issue. While the financial drain is worrying, the broader impacts of addiction – social, psychological and economic – demand a more comprehensive response than our current one.

As a clinician specialising in addiction and mental health treatment for over a decade, I have seen firsthand the limitations of Malaysia’s existing system. Despite significant government efforts – such as providing exposure to foreign best practices through various relevant national agencies – the statistics on addiction remain troubling. The truth is, we are facing an evolving drug scene that the current system is simply not equipped to manage.