Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar today softened his stance on decriminalising marijuana by saying that medical use could be permitted if it is strictly regulated.

It should also be administrated by medical professionals, he said.

However, he maintains his position that recreational use should continue to be illegal because it could lead to abuse of dangerous drugs.

“It is not yet the right time to take a liberal stance on this. We know many youths are still abusing it,” Khalid told reporters in Bukit Aman today.

“Even morphine is used in medical treatment, but it is strictly controlled. If marijuana truly has medicinal qualities, it must be administered properly,” he said.

Khalid added that marijuana use is also prohibited in religions practiced in Malaysia.

“From a religious perspective, all religions bar its followers (from using marijuana),” he said.

Khalid earlier told Malaysiakini that decriminalising marijuana could reduce youth productivity and lead to shortage of workers.

Youth Parliament earlier debated the decriminalising of marijuana, with Selangor representative Muhamad Ridhwan Muhamad Rosli proposing the matter.

Ridhwan said the government should look at the use of medical marijuana, and said the number of marijuana abusers can be reduced if it is regulated, instead of prohibited.

Persatuan Pengasih Malaysia, which runs Malaysia’s foremost private rehabilitation centre for substance abusers, earlier supported a proposal to decriminalise ganja use, and to remove the substance from the Dangerous Drugs Act.