I think that first and foremost the discussion on cannabis legalization should focus on the medicinal aspect and ensure sick people are provided access to cannabis, be it in its natural form, in tablet or oil form. It is unjust, inhumane and illogical to block access to pain relief for patients, especially patients suffering from chronic pain. This is creating unnecessary suffering to people affected by various illnesses and also to their relatives. It must be frustrating knowing that your closed one could alleviate her/his pains with something that is so widely around, but also so harshly persecuted by the police. The internet abounds with stories of people that found some relief when taking cannabis, in Europe and the USA. A legalized medicinal cannabis market needs to be closely regulated to ensure patients are provided with strains and levels of THC and CBD that match their ailment and also rest assured that the product is free from chemicals, mould or pesticides.
Cannabis for recreational use.
It is important to address misconceptions, stereotypes and ‘assumptions’ surrounding the use of cannabis. People who use cannabis come in different ages, forms and educational background. It is a misconception to assume that it is only ‘lazy’ or ‘misfits’ use cannabis. A lot of people use cannabis on a regular basis and live perfectly normal lives, have stable jobs and a solid educational backgrounds. Unfortunately the ‘taboo’ surrounding the use of cannabis makes it difficult to have a clear picture of whom is using cannabis and who is experiencing problems. When looking at the 2017 Maltese country drug report published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, it is surprising that no data is available for the use of cannabis in Malta. The only data available relates to characteristics of and trends in drug users entering specialised drug treatment. This kind of information, although important, is tricky to interpret as it fails to distinguish between people seeking treatment out of personal choice and people referred to drug rehabilitation centres from the law courts.
The current situation in Malta, and therefore following the enactment of the Drug Dependence (treatment not imprisonment) Act and thus the move from a punitive towards a more humane approach, mirrors developments in the European and International scene. Although the transition from a mandatory prison term towards the use of fines and trial in front of a Commissioner of Justice was a step in the right direction, it presents a number of difficulties. Primarily, whilst possession of small amounts of cannabis is no longer punishable with a criminal offence, cultivation is still heavily persecuted. This created an environment where cannabis consumers, whilst no longer breaking the law, still need to turn to the black market to have access to cannabis. This is creating a legal and social anomaly as it is continuing to fuel one of the very things drug reform aims to combat, that is, the black market and bring an end to the illegal and unsafe sale of cannabis. Secondly, cannabis users are still not being provided with the necessary information to make informed decisions on the potency and effects of the product they are consuming. Additionally, cannabis consumers continue to be exposed to unnecessary health hazards resulting from additives, chemicals, mould or pesticide present in smuggled cannabis. This is surely a bigger health hazard and public health policy issue than the effects of cannabis it self. Finally, decriminalization does not block teenagers and underage individuals from obtaining cannabis from the black market. More recently, we experienced the devastating effects which come with the use of legal highs. These so called ‘high’s try to mimic the effects of cannabis but contain unknown dangerous chemicals that could seriously effect users, sometimes even fatally. If cannabis was legalized and regulated, consumers would not opt for something that so negatively effects their everyday life. This was the result after alcohol prohibition came to an end. A lot of people, and still today, switched to regular beer or wine as opposed to a more potent alcoholic spirits found and sought during prohibition era.
Therefore, a legalized and regulated market needs to ensure that:
There are a number of interesting policy papers that could greatly guide the Maltese Government and spur the discussion on the legalization and regulation of cannabis. Links provided hereunder:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/sites/default/files/Lib-Dem-regulated-cannabis-market-in-UK.pdf
http://reformdrugpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/dlr9.pdf
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/resources/publications/how-regulate-cannabis-practical-guide
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/blog/cannabis-regulation-colorado-early-evidence-defies-critics
http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/DPA_Marijuana_Facts_Booklet.pdf
Thank you