The move comes after a man was sentenced to death for selling it.

Malaysia is looking into changing its law to legalize medical marijuana, which would make it the first Asian country to do so.

It all started last month when 29-year-old Muhammad Lukman Mohamad was sentenced to the death penalty for selling marijuana. During his trial, he testified that he had only sold cannabis oil to help patients suffering from illnesses such as cancer and leukemia, according to Reuters. After the sentencing, many were outraged, prompting a Change.org petition urging the government to reverse Mohamad's sentencing and change the laws surrounding medical marijuana. The petition has been signed more than 63,000 times.

The country's cabinet decided to remove capital punishment from Mohamad’s case, and early talks on amending the laws started last week. Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Xavier Jayakumar said the cabinet “very briefly” discussed the medicinal value of marijuana in a meeting, according to Bloomberg. Garnering support for legalizing medical marijuana will be “an uphill battle,“ he said.

"It’s already been done in certain countries,” Jayakumar explained, according to Bloomberg.“If it’s going to be used for medicinal purposes, it can be used. Not for social purposes, for medicinal purposes — yes, it should be allowed to be used.”

The benefits of medical marijuana have been long debated. Studies have found that it is an effective way to relieve chronic pain, though one recent study refutes that. Research has also shown that marijuana can stop cancer from spreading, decrease anxiety, and may help control seizures.

Malaysia’s move comes as marijuana legalization is being debated in different areas of the world. Canada is preparing to legalize recreational marijuana in October, which makes the country only the second to do so after Uruguay. Under Canadian law, adults 18 and older will be allowed to possess up to an ounce of cannabis for recreational use, and grow a maximum of four plants, according to TIME. Medical marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 30 states and Washington, D.C., in the United States.