Commissioner Adeeba Kamarulzaman spoke in a webinar organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Drug Policy Program Malaysia (DPPM)/Malaysia AIDS Foundation (MAF). on Islam and drug policy. The webinar was co-sponsored by the Global Commission, the Drug Policy Program Malaysia (DPPM) and Malaysia AIDS Foundation, Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), the Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association (MENAHRA), the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), and Harm Reduction International (HRI).

Commissioner Kamarulzaman highlighted her experience advocating for the adoption of harm reduction and the reform of drug laws – including decriminalization and the abolition of the death penalty – in Malaysia, noting that biomedical and epidemiological arguments and evidence, while essential, were not sufficient to achieve progress; broader shifts in public attitudes are also required.

In a Muslim-majority country such as Malaysia, engaging with the intersection of Islamic faith and policy approaches is essential. The discussion also challenged common misconceptions that Islam primarily emphasizes punishment, underscoring instead that its teachings center on mercy, compassion, and the preservation of human dignity. These principles – reflected in the higher objectives of law, including the protection of life, mind, family, wealth, and faith – should guide policy away from stigma and punitive approaches, including the death penalty, and towards harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

Sarah Belal of Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) further enriched the discussion by examining Islamic and Quranic legal interpretations alongside international human rights law, highlighting the clear alignment between Islamic legal principles and human rights frameworks.