Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1510560
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 OCTOBER 2023 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Industry insiders who spoke to this newspaper have con- firmed this sentiment. The sources said there have been personal attacks against people who have applied for a licence to operate a cannabis associa- tion. These episodes, that the sources say are caused by stig- ma towards cannabis, are what lead to a general sense of fear among cannabis users, despite abiding by the law. The two associations that were granted operational li- cences in October, Ta' Zelli and KDD Society, spoke to Malta- Today about their journey. Ta' Zelli's Cultivation Officer Sean Zammit and KDD's Pres- ident Kenneth Ellul both stat- ed that one of the factors that motivated them to be actively involved in Malta's first can- nabis associations was the op- portunity to properly educate cannabis users on safe use of the substance. "We believe that cannabis should be approached with a harm reduction perspective, and education is the key to achieving this goal," Ellul said. Zammit on the other hand pointed to a keen interest in the cannabis plant itself, saying that after he started cultivat- ing his own plants in 2022, he wants to share his, "knowledge and experience so that other users may enjoy good quality cannabis too." When asked about the work behind setting up the associa- tions, both described a lengthy process with the Authority for the Responsible Use of Canna- bis (ARUC) carefully monitor- ing the associations through each step. Ellul mentioned that the process started by research and adherence to the legal and regulatory requirements for cannabis associations, which lead to acquiring the relevant permits. "Upon having a clear outline of our operations, including policies, standard operating procedures, and other paper- work, we were granted the in-principal licence," Ellul ex- plained. The associations are now in the operational phase of the process, where their seeds have been sown within their grow- ing facilities until the plants are fully grown. This is followed by testing, where the cannabis is then tested before being sold to members. Distribution is ex- pected to take place within the first quarter of 2024, should the product meet ARUC's standards. Ellul and Zammit were al- so asked about the cannabis black market that would be their greatest competitor. "We recognise the presence of the black market and understand that competition is a chal- lenge," Ellul said. He stated that the associa- tion's transparency regarding the product, along with its quality are advantages that the legal market has over the black market. Ellul also mentioned education and support as strong selling points within the legal market, noting users will have a much safer experience consuming cannabis when they buy it legally. Meanwhile, Zammit said that the associations' prices will compete with that of black market cannabis. He also not- ed that, "through the associa- tion, the members will obtain cannabis of their desired taste constantly and consistently, whilst in the black market the product obtained is not always as desired." On the future of their associ- ations and the legal cannabis market in general, Ellul and Zammit spoke optimistically. Zammit said: "First of all we hope to have a successful first cycle. We then look forward to start receiving members." On the other hand, Ellul said that his association anticipates, "a wider impact on cannabis culture, with increased aware- ness of harm reduction prac- tices and responsible cannabis use." For him, the association is on a mission to bring about positive change to the cannabis landscape in Malta. The first two operational licences for cannabis harm reduction asso- ciations have been granted, mean- ing they can now cultivate their own cannabis. The associations in question can begin the process for distributing cannabis to members once the as- sociations are in possession of the product. The cannabis is then tested according to ARUC's standards be- fore being sold to members. On pricing, ARUC's Executive Chairperson Leonid McKay stated that the authority will not be con- trolling 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 associ- ations are also in possession of an in-principle licence and are in the advanced stages of getting an oper- ational licence. McKay stressed that in its work, ARUC steers away from commer- cialisation of cannabis, further stat- ing that anyone whose goals do not match that of the authority is not welcome to work with it. From her end, Reforms Parliamen- tary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg stated that Tuesday's announcement was a historic moment. She stressed that drug trafficking will never be tolerated and the harm reduction ap- proach was intended to give canna- bis users a legal and safe alternative to the black market. The regulatory process Leonid McKay 'Cannabis should be approached with a harm reduction perspective'