Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1360420
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW On cannabis, we should be pressing Caritas is among a number of professional to have public- ly opposed the government's White Paper on cannabis re- form. Can you explain exactly what your objections are? We are worried about three aspects, first and foremost. The first is that the proposed chang- es may have the indirect, unin- tentional effect 'popularising' the drug. When certain limits are removed, the public percep- tion of cannabis will also grad- ually change: especially among adolescents. Already, we are encountering parents whose children are telling them: "Ma, Pa, why are you worrying? Can- nabis is harmless, you know. They're even going to make it legal." And when they use this kind of terminology, those par- ents are stuck for an answer. So 'popularisation' is our first major concern. We are worried that these proposals will un- consciously promote cannabis, instead of trying to limit it. The second point is that we at Caritas – and other entities such as Oasi or Sedqa – come face to face with the realities of people suffering from addic- tion, every day. We know that not everyone who smokes can- nabis will develop severe prob- lems. But there are some who do… From your experience at Cari- tas: how many cannabis users will go on to develop problems as a result? There is international litera- ture suggesting that one of out of 10 cannabis users will form a serious, severe dependency. But there is also a larger per- centage that will suffer from other, less severe consequenc- es. Depending on the various studies, it could be as many as 20 -40% that are negatively af- fected: either because of prob- lems at the workplace, or con- flicts in their personal and/or family relationships. It is not, therefore, realistic to argue that cannabis is 'entirely harmless'; it does cause prob- lems… and the affected people often turn to us for help. Over the last three years, we received increasingly more cannabis-re- lated requests each year. Today, 25% of the people approaching us for help, do so because of cannabis. At the same time, however, there are statistics suggesting that cannabis is more popu- lar today than ever before. Doesn't that also mean that the so-called 'war on drugs' has, in fact, failed… and that we should therefore be exper- imenting with other models instead? But that is true of other drugs as well. At present, for instance, there is an increase in cocaine usage, too. So if the number of people using cocaine goes up…. is that a justification for liberal- izing the drug altogether? With regard to cannabis, how- ever: it is true that the numbers are increasing. The 2011 cen- sus indicated that around 4% of adults made use of the drug; but a MaltaToday survey two years ago suggests that the per- centage of adult cannabis-users has gone up to 9%. This also suggests that pub- lic attitudes towards this drug have changed as well. So I un- derstand that politicians will be increasingly confronted by these realities; and also by peo- ple who are beginning to con- sider cannabis along the same lines as cigarettes or alcohol. We can talk about the dangers of cannabis; we can warn about the pitfalls of any reform… but ultimately, it is the State – and, up to a point, the people – that must decide. And the choice is clear. We can take measures that will promote the use of cannabis; or we can take meas- ures to limit it. But successive governments have always 'tried and limit it'; evidently without much suc- cess. And some of those meas- ures have involved imprison- ing people: not because they are 'criminals', but simply be- cause of cannabis possession. Are you suggesting that we should retain that approach, in spite of its evident failure? But Caritas – and the same applies to Sedqa, Oasi and oth- ers – is not saying that canna- bis users should be imprisoned. This is a widespread miscon- ception. We agree with depe- nalization: but in a sense, this has already happened. To be fair, the situation today is that anyone who is caught with a joint can still be arrested by the police; and interrogated to find out where they bought the drug from. And to some people, that will often come as a shock. I might also add that, to some adolescents – and even adults – it may also serve as a 'wake-up call'. But let's admit that, in the present cultural climate, that approach is now considered 'heavy-handed'. The fact re- mains, however, that first-time offenders caught with less than 3.5 grammes of cannabis, for their own personal use, will be handed a fine, of between 50 and €100, which can be paid online. Second-time offenders, however, will face another tri- bunal - the Drug Offenders Re- habilitation Board – and may be ordered to seek professional help. But I know of no one who was actually sent to prison by that tribunal… Your own position paper Government's plans to further decriminalise recreational cannabis has been met with resistance. Dr ANTHONY GATT, director of Caritas Malta, outlines why this new approach could end up inadvertently 'promoting' a not- entirely harmless drug. He was interviewed on Reno Bugeja Jistaqsi PHOTO: JAMES BIANCHI / MALTATODAY SCAN to see the interview