Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1080741
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 FEBRUARY 2019 SUPPORT for cannabis legali- sation stands at 23.6% in the wake of a more liberal discus- sion about the topic in recent years, a MaltaToday survey has found. The strongest support for le- galisation is found among the younger generation of adult voters, although still not a ma- jority. The figure represents a sig- nificant drop from the 51.2% of people who had supported the decriminalisation of cannabis use in 2014. Back then, the government had changed the law so that people caught with a small amount of cannabis intended for personal use do not end up in court. Cannabis remained il- legal. A MaltaToday survey in 2014 had found that just over half agreed with cannabis users be- ing warned and never pros- ecuted if caught with small amounts. Laws were later introduced, making it possible for medical marijuana to be produced and sold in Malta. But the debate has now shift- ed to legalising cannabis for recreational purposes, a pledge found in the Labour Party elec- tion manifesto of 2017. The reform piloted by Parlia- mentary Secretary Julia Farru- gia Portelli, has so far stopped at discussion level between government and the different stakeholders with very few de- tails emerging as to what model will be adopted. The MaltaToday survey asked people whether they agreed with the legalisation of can- nabis for recreational use by adults. While almost a quarter agreed, opposition to legalisa- tion ran at 66.6%, and almost 10% were unsure where they stood on the issue. Men were more likely to sup- port legalisation than women. The survey found that 29.5% of men agreed with legalising cannabis for recreational pur- poses as opposed to 17.7% of women. The strongest support for le- galisation was among young adults aged between 18 and 35, where agreement ran at 38.1%. Support for legalisation pro- gressively dropped among the older generations, with only 8.1% of those aged 65 and over in favour. But the survey also gauged the level of cannabis use among those aged 18 and over, with 9.3% admitting having used mari- juana. The number more than tripled when people were asked whether they knew someone who used can- nabis. Educational background does not appear to be an influenc- ing factor in how people view legalisation. Apart from those with a primary level of educa- tion – mostly elderly people – where support drops to 12.9%, across other levels of education support ranges between 23.6% and 29.8%. NEWS MALTATODAY SURVEY KURT SANSONE People born between 1984 and 2001 38.1% agree with legalisation These young people who as an EU member state are accepting of cannabis as legalisation runs at 38.1%, They are also the group with users. There were 17.5% cannabis at some point in who uses cannabis. But this cohort is also one on the harm caused by cannabis. cannabis causes less harm it causes more harm. Young alcohol cause the same harm 38.1% agree with legalisation These young people who as an EU member state are accepting of cannabis as legalisation runs at 38.1%, They are also the group with users. There were 17.5% cannabis at some point in who uses cannabis. But this cohort is also one on the harm caused by cannabis. cannabis causes less harm it causes more harm. Young alcohol cause the same harm People born between 1969 and 1983 (36-50) 26.8% agree with legalisation This is the generation that lived its childhood in 1980s Malta when almost every household plastered the sticker warning 'drugs are for mugs' on its fridge. This is also a generation that started its adult life after 1987 at a time of market liberalisation, a booming economy and the political rhetoric of the 1990s against drug barons. A quarter of these people agree with cannabis legalisation for adults. They are also the second highest cohort of people (11%) who admitted having used cannabis and 38.2% of them said they knew someone who had. This generation largely believes that cannabis is more harmful than alcohol (38.3%) or as harmful (35.3%). Only 8.4% believe cannabis is less harmful. Men vs women Men are likelier to support cannabis legalisation more than women, while there is no significant difference in how both perceive the harm caused by marijuana. While 29.5% of men agree with legalisation of cannabis for recreational purposes, the figure drops to 17.7% for women. Men were twice as likely to have used cannabis than women with 12.8% admitting to using the drug. The equivalent number for women stood at 5.9%. The disparity was also reflected when asked whether they knew someone who uses cannabis: 36.6% of men and 22% of women answered yes. Only one in five support cannabis legalisation Total Labour voter Nationalist voter Didn't vote Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Post-Sec Secondary Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 9.3% 9.1% 10.8% 14.7% 12.7% 5.9% 17.5% 11.0% 3.4% 2.1% 1.0% 10.7% 10.5% 10.6% 4.6% 14.2% 10.5% 9.2% 9.1% 4.3% The MaltaToday survey asked people whether they agreed with the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use by adults. KURT SANSONE on how opposition is running at 66% There is also very little region- al disparity. The lowest level of support for legalisation is in the Northern Harbour region with 19.2%, while the strongest sup- port is the Southern Harbour region with 31.9%. People who voted for the La- bour Party in the 2017 elec- tion are almost twice as likely than Nationalist Party voters to support cannabis legalisation (27.1% PL vs 14.5% PN). Harm, cannabis and alcohol There was no clear-cut answer when people were asked about the harm they believe is caused by cannabis in relation to alco- hol. Although a relative majority of 36.1% believe cannabis causes more harm than alcohol, a quar- ter of people believe marijuana and alcohol cause the same harm. Almost 23% of people are un- sure how cannabis compares to alcohol but 16.8% believe the drug is less harmful than alco- hol. The figures for each of the cat- egories are broadly the same for both men and women but there is a higher prevalence of young people who believe cannabis causes less harm than alcohol. Voting preference Age Gender Education Respondents who said they have used cannabis in their lifetime Geographic region