Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1530962
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 DECEMBER 2024 2025 LOOKING FORWARD THE partial decriminalisation of cannabis in December 2021 and the licensing of more than 10 Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs) brought significant benefits for resident cannabis consumers in Malta. It ensured fewer criminal conse- quences for possession and cul- tivation, while providing users with labelled cannabis flowers, including a potency gradient and clear health warnings. But, unfortunately, the 2024 ban imposed by the Author- ity for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) on the use of herb vaporisers, a less risky method of consumption, within cannabis associations, and missed opportunities for training and talks on harm re- duction, precluded registered members from a unique oppor- tunity to access, from the very beginning, pragmatic harm reduction principles and prac- tices. Worryingly, the ARUC has recently said it is analysing the creation of 'smoking lounges' within the premises of cannabis associations. It is imperative to underline that smoking is one of the most harmful ways to consume cannabis, and when this is done with the concur- rent combustion of nicotine, risks to health increase. This includes a heightened propen- sity for increased consumption and ultimately dependence. It is not clear why ARUC is promising to introduce a risky practice instead of promoting the responsible use of cannabis through appropriate harm re- duction tools. The authority may also be considering allowing CHRAs to produce hash and edibles. If this materialises, it will be a very important step to fur- ther oppose the monopoly of criminal organisations in the illegal trafficking of cannabis. However, if the Maltese reg- ulatory framework is looking at the Canadian model, one hopes that great caution will be adopted if and when a discus- sion on introducing cannabis concentrates is carried out. Cannabis concentrates made using solvents, such as shatter and other types such as Rosin and "butane hash oil," contain relatively elevated levels of THC. These products should be used with caution and ide- ally only by experienced can- nabis users. When considering that these products are not yet in high demand by local consumers, a regulatory shift might be a sign of increased in- fluence by profit-oriented en- trepreneurs. This reality risks pushing the Maltese reform away from its harm reduction potential, and closer towards a top-down 'commercially driv- en' evolutionary industry. To better understand poten- tial future scenarios in Malta, one may look at research from other countries and different regulatory experiences. In Can- nabis Social Clubs in Contem- porary Legalization Reforms: Talking Consumption Sites and Social Justice, Belackova and colleagues look at the core principles of Cannabis Social Clubs, and recognise that these recreational spaces harbour an increased potential to reduce adverse health-related out- comes, particularly in relation to benefits of on-site cannabis consumption and peer-to-peer exchange of best practices. They underline that the co-design of harm reduction policies by consumers and regulators has now become recognised as a best practice in the development of drug, alcohol, and mental health programmes. Interestingly, when looking at recent de- velopments from Canada, re- searchers observe a worrying increase in participation and pressure by profit-oriented en- trepreneurs as opposed to the socially oriented grass-roots organisations. The researchers warn that this is disrupting the development of social justice tools and negatively impacting the overarching goals of hu- man rights driven drug policy reform. Recommendations to re-align Maltese cannabis reform with its human rights purpose and social justice potential 1. Development and sustainability of a safe space within Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations: It would be a waste of taxpay- ers' money if educational cam- paigns remain frozen under the preventive umbrella and do not provide practical tools to pri- oritise the health, social, and legal rights of people who use cannabis. In 2025, it will be im- perative for the ARUC to equip itself with a pool of human rights professionals, including people with living experienc- es of cannabis, committed to advance an inclusive inter- pretation of harm reduction and facilitate the co-design of non-judgmental policies and educational campaigns. To protect the reform from pred- atory practices, professionals engaged by the ARUC should Cannabis in Malta: Prospects for Karen Mamo What to expect in 2025 Labour migration policy reform Following consultations with stakeholders, the government is also set to launch a reform of its labour market policy. Employment Minister Byron Camilleri stated that the new policy aims to strengthen workers' rights and improve employee retention rates. The minister highlighted that two key pillars of the new policy will focus on training, upskilling, and reskilling Maltese workers, as well as adopting a skills-based approach to attracting foreign labour. This follows previous, less comprehensive measures aimed at addressing migrant labour, such as the government's decision to stop accepting new foreign workers in certain sectors, including the taxi and courier industries. New political parties 2025 will also see the birth of a new centrist political party in Malta, to be fronted by independent candidate Arnold Cassola, who secured almost 13,000 first-count votes in the European Parliament election. Cassola has been working on the project with several people and in December he also addressed the congress of the European Democratic Party, a centrist political platform that includes French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. Another new political party, Partit Malta Progressiva, will also be born in 2025, fronted by former Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer and former policy advisor to Helena Dalli, Silvan Agius. Donald Trump's second inauguration On 20 January 2025, Donald Trump will be sworn in as US president for a second term after a landslide victory in the 2024 election. From then, the world will closely watch which promises he will keep and how they will shape global politics. Trump has promised he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a single day, which could signal his initial priorities. The EU, in particular, will be watching for developments on tariffs, as Trump has threatened a trade war with several countries, including Canada and China. Whatever his plans, Trump is bound to make headlines in the early days of his presidency, especially after he vowed not to become a dictator "except for day one."