Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/349229
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 JULY 2014 News 15 JAMES DEBONO NINE out of every 10 respondents agree with the proposal made by the government under which drug users carrying small amounts of drugs for personal use will not face proceed- ings in court. Moreover slightly more than half agree with the proposed decriminali- sation of cannabis use. This emerges from a survey held among 400 respondents contacted by telephone over the past week. The white paper issued by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici proposes that people caught in possession of drugs intended for their own person- al use for the first time, should not be prosecuted in court. The law also proposes that those caught for a second time are referred to a social board which would in- clude experts such as social workers. Only those who breach the condi- tions imposed by the board will be prosecuted in court. The proposed law also makes a dis- tinction between cannabis and other drugs, in a way that cannabis smok- ers will never be prosecuted in court but could face warnings issued by the Justice commissioner. The MaltaToday survey reveals a generational change in attitudes to- wards cannabis. While 70% of under-35-year-olds agree with the proposal to exempt cannabis smokers from court pro- ceedings, a majority of over-35-year- olds are opposed to this aspect of the reform. The survey also shows that more than one in every three, within the 16- to 34-years-old bracket knows someone who makes use of canna- bis. Although public opinion remains split on the proposed decriminalisa- tion of cannabis use, only 14% of re- spondents think that marijuana is as dangerous as hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. But while respondents are more liberal with regard to drug use, the vast majority still agree with the imprisonment of addicts found guilty of trafficking. Consensus against arraigning first time users The survey reflects the widespread consensus in favour of the proposed exemption from court proceedings of people who are caught the first time so that their police conduct will not be blemished. The proposal enjoys the support of the Nationalist Party opposition, and Sedqa experts and NGOs such as Caritas who work with drug ad- dicts. All age groups and people of from all educational backgrounds support this proposal. Support ranged between 78% among those aged over 55 years to 92% among those aged between 16 and 34 years. Support for the reform was lowest among those with a primary educa- tion. Support for the reform was higher among those with a post secondary or secondary level of education than among those with a university level of education. But while the university-educated bracket includes a greater segment of traditionalists opposed to any relaxation of drug laws, support for the decriminalisation of cannabis is higher in this bracket than among the secondary educated. This sug- gests a greater polarisation between liberals and traditionalists among the most educated segment. Older respondents oppose decriminalisation of cannabis In general respondents were split in half when asked for their opinion on whether cannabis smokers should be completely exempted from facing court proceedings, as proposed in the white paper. This split reflects the diverging opinions in civil society on this as- pect of the reform, which is opposed by the opposition and NGOs such as Caritas who oppose any distinction between soft and hard drugs. But while an absolute majority of respondents aged over 55 and a rela- tive majority of those aged between 35 and 54, oppose the decriminalisa- tion of cannabis, seven out of every 10 respondents aged under 35 years of age support the reform. This suggests a generational change which sees younger people being more liberal in their views on cannabis. This may reflect a greater aware- ness among younger people of inter- national trends like the decriminali- sation of possession of small amounts in many European cities and the full legalisation of cannabis in a number of US states and in Uruguay. But while older respondents op- pose decriminalising cannabis, the vast majority of respondents in all age and educational brackets make a sharp distinction between cannabis and hard drugs like heroin and co- caine. This suggests a consensus on the government's policy of creating a distinction between hard and soft drugs. Less dangerous than heroin, more dangerous than booze When asked to compare canna- bis with other legal or illegal drugs, nearly half replied that it is less dan- gerous than cocaine and heroin but more dangerous than alcohol. Only one fifth replied that cannabis is equally dangerous or less danger- ous than alcohol, which is legal. The university-educated were the most likely to think that cannabis is equally dangerous or even less dan- gerous than alcohol. In fact among this category one in every four ex- presses this view. The survey suggests that for the vast majority of the population can- nabis is still perceived differently from legal drugs such as alcohol even if they are perceived to be less dan- gerous than harder drugs. This may also reflect greater awareness on the risks of alcohol use, which is increasingly being seen to be as dangerous as illegal drug use. All age groups concur with this view although younger people are slightly more likely to put cannabis in the same category as alcohol. Moreover only 8% of younger peo- ple think that cannabis is as danger- ous as heroin and cocaine in contrast to 16% of over-55-year-olds and 15% of those aged between 35 and 54. One third of young people frequent cannabis smokers The survey clearly shows that people who actually know cannabis smokers tend to hold more liberal views on drug policy. Respondents were asked whether they know a cannabis smoker and were subsequently asked whether this person has more or less prob- lems in his or her life than people who use alcohol. The survey shows that only one in every five knows a cannabis smoker. But this figure rises to 35% among 16- to 34-year-olds and to 34% among university educated respondents. Significantly the vast majority of those who personally know a can- nabis smoker think that these people do not experience more problems in their life. In fact this view is expressed by 59% of those who know cannabis smokers. Moreover another 12% think that cannabis smokers actually face less problems than alcohol us- ers. Among those who have personal contact with cannabis smokers, only 18% think that cannabis smokers ex- perience more problems in their life than alcohol users. Moreover this category also ex- presses more liberal views. While only 51% of the general population thinks that cannabis smokers should never be prosecuted in court, the fig- ure rises to 67% among people who know cannabis smokers. Significantly when asked to choose the best drug policy from a number of options, 20% opted for legalising the sale of cannabis while 54% opted for the decriminalisation of drugs. This suggests that personal experi- ence of cannabis users makes people less disposed to punish these people. Only 3% will try cannabis if it is decriminalised Only 2.6% would try cannabis if it is decriminalised. The vast majority of respondents in all age groups replied that they would not be more inclined News mt survey Survey highlights 85% think drug users caught for the first time should not be • taken to court. 51% think that cannabis users should never be arraigned in • court. 70% of under-35-year-olds agree with decriminalisation of • cannabis. 32% of under-35-year-olds agree with legalisation of • cannabis. Majority of over-35-year-olds oppose decriminalisation of • cannabis. Only 14% think that cannabis is as harmful as heroin and • cocaine. One fifth think that cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol. • 35% of under-35-year-olds know someone who smokes • cannabis. 34% of University-educated know someone who smokes • cannabis. 41% think that the best policy is not to treat drug users as • criminals. maltatoday 85% agree with clemency for first-time users Holocaust survivor Moshe Roth, 81, a writer and painter born in Nancy, France, receives medical marijuana by a nurse to smoke in his old pipe in the Hadarim Nursing home in Kibbutz Naan, near Rehovot, Israel, 27 April 2014. Ryan Hutchen of Columbia, South Carolina, looks at different cannabis strains at recreational marijuana store 'Cannabis City' on the first day in which retail marijuana sales are legal in Seattle, Washington, USA, 8 July 2014.