Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1478015
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 SEPTEMBER 2022 OPINION 11 Clyde Preston The cannabis leap: perspectives from the field the population density stands at "1,649 persons per square kilo- metre": having grown by almost exactly a quarter, over the last 10 years… which makes it the high- est-density town, of the eighth most densely-populated coun- try in the entire world. All of which should, by this point, be 'reminding' our Prime Minister of a certain little 'something' he has clearly for- gotten, since last February. What was it, again, that Rob- ert Abela promised about 'res- idents who live in high-popula- tion, high-traffic zones'? Didn't he tell us that "Cars are domi- nating spaces that people used to meet in, and children used to play around"; and that his gov- ernment "wanted to give these spaces back to the people"? Well, it's hard to imagine a more complete and utter re- versal of that policy, than what Robert Abela's government is actually doing right now. Be- cause as far as I can see, this Ta' Xbiex development application will not just reduce what is ar- guably the only available 'public space' left, in the entire north harbour region, by at least 600 square-metres; it will also eat further into a public garden, which is around the only 'open space' available – quite literally, in a radius of almost five miles – where 'children can still play in relative safety'. And for what purpose? Why, to accommodate the govern- ment agency responsible for… TRANSPORT, of all goddamn things! I mean: how much more 'symbolic' can you even get? Far from 'giving those spaces back to the people'… what Robert Abela is actually doing (or try- ing to do, anyway) is 'taking those spaces AWAYS from the people'… … and giving them to… Cars. Honestly, though: what does that actually tell us, about Rob- ert Abela's 'green credentials'? And what does it tell us, about all those claims made by Mir- iam Dalli – who is now Envi- ronment Minister, if you please – about how 'essential' green spaces are, 'for the wellbeing of residents […] because they have a positive impact on our mental health…"? Well, to be fair, it does at least tell us that she was per- fectly right, at the time. For as a long-term resident of Malta's most severely 'high-population, high-density' locality, myself… I can easily attest to the truth of that statement: and again, just by taking a cursory look at the reality unfolding all around us, at any given moment. Yes, 'green spaces' do undeni- ably 'have a positive impact on our mental health' – because let's face it. We never had very much of them, to begin with; we are losing what little remains, with each passing week... and, well, just look at us, as a result. We are all, very clearly, 'losing our marbles'… THE legislative changes enacted in 2021 to partially decriminalise the non-medical use of cannabis in Malta, fomented an unprecedented social reaction by various stakeholders and en- tities hailing from the academic, legal and med- ical fields, amongst others. A petition presented to Parliament, by the an- ti-reformist movement, aimed to turn back the clock on the proposed body of law based on a harm reduction and a not-for-profit approach. One of the most worrying proposals was the request to remove the word 'education' from Malta's new human rights leaning approach to cannabis policy. As history was made on 18 De- cember 2021, it is interesting to take a look back and explore the sentiments of practitioners with- in the field of addiction as expressed in 2018. A study conducted in 2018 as part of a degree programme with the University of Malta, titled 'The Recreational Use of Cannabis: A Study on Field Practitioner Perspectives' aimed to give a practitioner's perspective on whether recrea- tional cannabis use led to drug dependency and if services were in place for problematic cannabis use, including their efficiency in engaging users in such drug treatment services in Malta. Practitioners voiced their perspectives (based on their own experience working with drug de- pendants) and reflected also on the prospective legalisation of cannabis use in Malta. Organi- sations which accepted to be interviewed were namely Sedqa, Oasi and the Probation and Cor- rectional Services, along with two academics specialised in research, policy and/or practition- er experience in the field of addictions from the University of Malta. Practitioners explained that although depend- ency is associated with cannabis use, there are no medicinal treatments to address withdrawal and cravings. It was also noted that such drug-treat- ment services require more financial support and human resources as they are often over-run with entries and are under-staffed. Practitioners noted that more women are seeking treatment in recent years. Practitioners linked this phenomenon to social changes in gender ascribed roles and biological differences between men and women. In fact, although fe- males start their drug taking careers at a later age than men, data shows that they require treat- ment in a shorter span. Participants highlighted the importance of a robust educational campaign, with both sides of the cannabis debate meeting and discussing on even terms. This in turn would contribute to help members of the Maltese society to make an informed decision on their position when it comes to cannabis use. They warned that similar discussions need to be weighed in against their impact on local perceptions of harm caused by cannabis, in turn directly impacting availability of treatment and willingness to seek treatment for problematic use. They also identified lack of education on il- licit substances, including cannabis, as directly linked with a hogwash of opinions, but meagre informed debates and decisions. This matter has been identified as a barrier to the realization of evidence based research and honest debate be- tween stakeholders. Protecting youths Youths' well-being was also central to the practitioners' comments, with most calling for increased protective measures to shield this age- group from the negative effects of cannabis, par- ticularly synthetic cannabis. The latter was iden- tified as a growing problem for young teens and adolescents. If one had to look at the most recent data on cannabis use in Malta, one finds that the Nation- al Report on the Drug Situation in Malta (2021), underlines that: "What is worthy of note is the figures for the Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRA) which highlight an average of 83 individuals seeking medical assistance in the last five years. Though there is a shortage of in- formation on synthetic cannabinoids, it shows that these substances are highly available locally and synthetic cannabinoids are causing adverse health effects to people using these substances." Legalisation? Yeah, but no, but yeah! Participants identified more education on the adverse effects of illicit substances has also been identified, whilst emphasising the recurrent problem of a data vacuum on cannabis trends in Malta. These serious shortcomings prompted practitioners to be weary of moving to a legalised cannabis market. Nonetheless, practitioners agreed that educa- tion remains key to guide the person to make the right choices for themselves, despite the health repercussions of their actions. The introduction of a partially decriminalised system, thus including the possibility to grow your own is a reality many have been enjoying for the past half a year. This reality is primarily shielding law-abiding citizens from the negative effects of the criminal justice system and the clutches of criminal gangs monopolising canna- bis availability for over half a century. Despite the legislative changes, issues identified by practitioners back in 2018, particularly those linked with the surge of synthetic cannabis use amongst the young, and lack of education on cannabis, continue to find fertile ground. One augurs that as the summer hype of a post-covid era slowly transmutes into a new au- tumn, non-judgmental education, thus including a strong harm and risk reduction component is given priority by the legislator and the newly formed Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis. The same Labour government that promised us a 'green reclamation' of 'high-population, high traffic zones', is now proposing to "develop a section of open public space on the Ta' Xbiex promenade into offices and a restaurant" Clyde Preston is a psychology graduate