Speaking at a meeting with members of Parliament’s Legal and Judicial Committee and officials from the Drug Control Headquarters, Pezeshkian said the approach had proven effective in reducing drug use and related crime in other nations, president.ir reported.

The proposed framework would make illicit drug markets redundant by offering legal, monitored access to substances for users, while simultaneously tightening enforcement against traffickers and illegal distributors.

“This dual approach will not only curb consumption but also reduce crimes such as theft, family disintegration, and the spread of drug dealing among addicts,” Pezeshkian said.

Under the new plan, all drug users, regardless of the type or intensity of their consumption, could access services in legal centers under official supervision.

The aim, he explained, is to eliminate demand for the illegal market while ensuring users are monitored and treated for addiction-related consequences.

Pezeshkian emphasized that alongside user support, enforcement would be intensified, with traffickers and illegal distributors facing tougher penalties.

He described the approach as a way to both dismantle the illegal market and generate accurate data on drug use, enabling targeted interventions and treatment.

The president also addressed the broader challenge of public sector reform. He noted repeated resistance to structural changes across government institutions and called on lawmakers for support.

“We encounter numerous justifications to abandon reforms,” he said. “It is unacceptable to divert resources from improving public welfare and the economy to maintain inefficient bureaucracies. Success depends on cohesion, serious collaboration, and effective synergy across all branches of government.”

Officials at the meeting discussed proposed legal amendments, with Pezeshkian urging Parliament to quickly add clauses that would guarantee the implementation of the demand management strategy.

He expressed confidence that the plan would sharply reduce drug use, the social consequences of addiction, petty drug dealing among users, arrests, and prison populations linked to narcotics.