Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1439469
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 DECEMBER 2021 NEWS Christmas specials manifesto bringing together different elements of legalisa- tion models from around the world was presented by ReLeaf. They demanded legalisation of up to 28g per person, and the allowance to grow six plants per household. In March 2018, the perspec- tive continued to change fur- ther, as amendments to the Drug Dependence Act (Treat- ment not Imprisonment) were enacted. The law allowed fami- ly doctors to prescribe medical cannabis to patients, who are be able to access non-smoking forms of medicine at pharma- cies with a doctor's prescrip- tion after a control card has been approved by the Superin- tendent of Public Health. Labour's 2017 electoral man- ifesto had proposed a national debate on the legalisation of recreational cannabis, an is- sue Joseph Muscat had already come out in support of. Julia Farrugia Portelli, who was then entrusted with the reform had said it was wrong for the PL to refer to it as 'recreational'. She received harsh criticism for her statement. Farrugia Portelli's statements were just a mere hiccup in La- bour's roadmap toward recrea- tional cannabis, when Rosianne Cutajar was appointed parlia- mentary secretary responsible for the reform. In a surprise video 4 April 2020 marking the "international marijuana hol- iday" 4-20, Cutajar expressed support for an alleged 40,000 cannabis users in Malta, and that "while recreational canna- bis use in Malta is not yet legal, the government has long since set out to be more sensitive to those users". The debate around recre- ational cannabis legislation reached its climax in March 2021, after Prime Minister Robert Abela launched a pub- lic consultation process to strengthen the legal framework on the responsible use of can- nabis. The ground-breaking law al- lowed the possession of up to 7g of cannabis and the growing of four plants at home. It also provided for regulated clubs from where cannabis can be sold to registered members. It received 350 submissions from a number of NGOs and indi- viduals. While government was speedy in how it pushed for legislation to be introduced, overlooking and ignoring suggestions by ac- ademics and NGOs not to rush ahead with cannabis legalisa- tion, the process was marked by a number of U-turns by the Nationalist Party. Opposition leader Bernard Grech claimed ownership of a proposal for regulated can- nabis clubs when government published the text of the Bill. However, Grech was unable to convince his parliamentary group to support the Bill, and the PN came out against it. During parliamentary discus- sions, Grech branded the bill an "alienation" exercise from the serious matters affecting Malta like the FATF greylisting. De- spite the criticism, during the committee stage, the Opposi- tion MPs did not put forward any substantial amendments. In a last-ditch effort, 53 or- ganizations and individuals pe- titioned parliament to amend parts of the Bill, to mitigate what they claim will be the negative impact on society. Even former PM Lawrence Gonzi, known for his conserv- ative stance on a number of is- sues like gay marriage and civil unions, weighed in on the issue on the day of the third reading. The move by the EU's small- est member state is likely to be the first of a number of nations changing their cannabis laws after the UN last year reclas- sified cannabis to recognise its therapeutic uses. The govern- ments of Luxembourg, Ger- many and Switzerland have all announced plans to establish a legally regulated market. Can- nabis is still technically illegal in the Netherlands, which is famous for its cannabis coffee shops. However, there is a tol- erance for the drug when it is sold in the coffee shops. And Italy will hold a referendum on the issue next year, while South Africa, Mexico, Jamaica, Portugal and a number of US states already have similar leg- islation in place. Vacancies in the Ministry for Health The Ministry for Health is seeking to employ: Retired/Retiring Public Officers within the Nursing Grades to perform duties on a full- time/part-time basis within the Ministry for Health. Eligible applicants must be: • Nurses who have reached retirement age (not more than 70 years of age) (or are expected to reach retirement age by the 31st December 2021, AND who were either retired/retiring public officers A copy of the call as advertised in the Government Gazette of Friday, 24th December 2021 may be obtained from the People Management Division (contact details below). Applications are to be received through the Government Recruitment Portal only through the following link https://recruitment.gov.mt by not later than 17:15hrs (Central European Time) of Friday, 7 th January 2022 Any further information may be obtained from the: People Management Division 15, Palazzo Castellania, Merchants Street, Valletta, VLT 1171, Malta Telephone: +356 22992604 Email: recruitment.health@gov.mt MINISTRY FOR HEALTH 15, Palazzo Castellania, Merchants Street, Valletta, VLT 1171, Malta Tel: 22992604 Email: recruitment.health@gov.mt