Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1510271
4 NEWS 4 MATTHEW FARRUGIA THE first operational licences for cannabis harm reduction associa- tions have been granted to two as- sociations, meaning that they can now cultivate their own cannabis. During a press conference, Ex- ecutive Chairperson Authority for The Responsible Use of Can- nabis (ARUC), Leonid McKay announced that in October, the first operational licences were granted. The associations in question are called KDD Society and Ta' Zelli, and the process for distrib- uting cannabis to members can begin when the associations are in possession of the product. The cannabis is then tested by ARUC before being sold to members. On pricing, McKay stated that ARUC will not be controlling the price of cannabis in any way, however, he noted that the price is projected to compete with that of the black market. Meanwhile, another four asso- ciations are also in possession of an in-principle license and are in the advanced stages of getting an operational license. McKay stressed that in its work, ARUC steers away from com- mercialisation of cannabis, fur- ther stating that anyone whose goals do not match that of the authority is not welcome to work with it. From her end, parliamentary secretary for reforms, Rebecca Buttigieg stated that Tuesday's announcement is a historic mo- ment. Buttigieg stressed that drug trafficking will never be tolerated. First cannabis associations granted operational licence KURT SANSONE INFLATION edged upwards in September to 4.1% from 4% a month earlier, with food pric- es registering the highest annual increase, the National Statistics Office said on Tuesday. The Retail Price Index (RPI) showed that food prices increased by 8.8%. Food exclud- ing restaurant services and take-aways regis- tered an annual rate of 9.5% while restaurant services and take-aways registered an annual rate of 6.7%. The second highest annual increase was registered in housing (8.1%). The lowest annual inflation rates were registered in transport and communication (-2.1%), and water, electricity, gas and fuels that registered no movement. Government continues to subsidise utility bills, fuels and gas thus keeping prices stable. The NSO said the largest upward impact on annual inflation in September was regis- tered in the Food Index (+1.89 percentage points), largely due to higher prices of take- aways. The second and third largest impacts were measured in the Housing Index (+0.64 points) and the Other Goods and Services Index (+0.48 points), mainly on account of higher prices of house maintenance services and insurances, respectively. A downward impact on annual inflation was registered in the Transport and Com- munication Index (-0.45 points), mainly re- flecting lower prices of land transport ser- vices. Inflation edges up in September on the back of increasing food prices The Retail Price Index published by the NSO shows that inf lation stood at 4.1% in September with food and restaurant prices registering the highest increase at 8.8% MATTHEW AGIUS A man who sprayed graffiti on the Portes des Bombes in Floria- na has been fined €6,000 and or- dered to pay the costs of remov- ing it, together with a suspended prison sentence. Msida resident Ionut Cezar Marin, 42, from Romania, pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally damaging cultur- al property during his arraign- ment in front of Magistrate Lara Lanfranco on Tuesday. The prosecution and defence agreed that a prison sentence ought not be imposed in the circumstances, but disagreed on the issue of whether or not a fine is to be imposed. The prosecution insisted on a fine, in view of the cultural value of the property that was vandal- ised. The court sentenced the man to imprisonment for two years, suspended for four years and a €6,000 fine, payable in month- ly instalments over a period of three years. He was also ordered to pay the €790 cleaning bill. Prosecutor Godwin Cini from the Office of the Attorney Gen- eral assisted police inspectors Christine Delia, Daryl Borg and Kurt Farrugia. Lawyer Roberto Spiteri was defence counsel. Portes des Bombes vandal handed suspended sentence and €6,000 fine Graffiti was sprayed on the Portes des Bombes in Floriana by the accused (Photo: James Aaron Ellul/Facebook)