DECRIMINALISATION of marijuana should be the first step taken before legalising the use of it, lawyer Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff said.

The former Balik Pulau MP noted that even the World Health Organization had acknowledge that cannabis contains ingredients that have medicinal value.

Yusmadi is among those leading the charge to legalise marijuana, and is the lawyer representing nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman, who was charged with cultivating cannabis plants and trafficking in 214g marijuana on March 31.

He is receiving treatment for bipolar disorder at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

He said the world health body’s endorsement should provide motivation for extensive research locally on the medicinal value of cannabis.

He noted the move to legalise marijuana in the country has the backing of both sides of the divide.

“Even Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is willing to listen to the opinions of those in the Medical Marijuana Caucus,” he told Malaysian Insight.

On May 18, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman urged the government to recognise the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

Syed Saddiq, who is also the Medical Marijuana Caucus chairman, said it was time for Malaysia to follow in the footsteps of more than 40 countries around the world in recognising cannabis as a medical alternative.

“Malaysians throughout the country have shown their support to decriminalise medical marijuana.

“This also shows a positive sign so we hope that an answer will be heard very soon,” he said.

Last week, the Health Ministry has reportedly said it is open to conducting clinical tests on CBD or cannabidiol, which is among the active contents in marijuana or cannabis, for medical purposes.

However, its deputy minister, Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, was reported as saying by Malay-language daily Harian Metro that the government requires certain laws to be reviewed in order to avoid any abuse of the substance before the trials can be carried out.

“The use of CBD is indeed a topic of debate now, because some foreign countries use the substance for the treatment of chronic diseases and so on.

“The ministry is open to conducting clinical studies, but for the initial stage we have not been able to move as in foreign countries,” he said. – May 24, 2022.