Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/820803
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 MAY 2017 2 News Parties take cautious step on recreational cannabis MIRIAM DALLI THE main political parties are tak- ing a cautious stand over proposals to legalise marijuana for recrea- tional use, by proposing a national debate. Over 10 years ago, recreational cannabis was a non-issue in Mal- tese politics. Now the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party – the lat- ter having also discussed the issue with coalition parties Democratic Party – said that an informed de- bate should be held to hear what experts have to say and to see where civil society stands. Only Alternattiva Demokratika are pledging the introduction of the legislation, if elected, in the first six months. "We were the first party to announce legalising marijuana for recreational use, three months ago," Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Arnold Cassola said yesterday morning, during the par- ty's campaign launch. Cassola said that the Green Party has pledged the passing of a Bill through parliament in the first six months. Prime Minister and Labour lead- er Joseph Muscat yesterday morn- ing said that he was personally in favour of legalising its recreational use, but that he wasn't going to im- pose his thoughts on others. "Yes I am personally in favour and it has been discussed internally within the party," Muscat said. He however insisted that this wasn't, and shouldn't be, a partisan politi- cal matter. "The issue is seeing what the ex- perts think and what people feel and what studies say in countries where recreational use of marijua- na is allowed." A future Labour government's intention to launch a public debate on the matter was made by Muscat on Friday night, during an inter- view on ONE TV. "As a father, I'm torn about it as I'm wary that marijuana could act as a gateway drug. However, the current system favours criminals and it would be far better to have controls over its distribution," he said. Soon after Muscat's late an- nouncement, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil also confirmed that he was open to the idea of having an informed debate. He called for a discussion based on scientific research, which would in turn provide an informed deci- sion on its possible implementa- tion. "On such sensitive matters, all parents are naturally concerned and therefore it is important that we get it right," Busuttil told Mal- taToday. Questioned by MaltaToday on the steps of Auberge de Castille where he addressed a press con- ference, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami yesterday said that it was evident that a serious na- tionwide discussion on the issue was necessary, as was the norm in all civilised countries. "This is a very sensitive subject and we are aware there are many people who will be against the le- galisation of recreational marijuana as there will be in favour," he said. Indeed, the proposed debate fired online readers and social media users, with many welcoming the proposal as a step forward whilst others warned that this would lead youths towards drug abuse. Others accused the Labour and Nationalist parties of yet another easy carrot being dangled for the youth vote. Before the Nationalist Party had commented on the matter, shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi came out against Muscat's call, de- scribing it as "disgusting opportun- ism... the fruit of desperation". Nationalist MP and former min- ister Tonio Fenech, who won't be contesting the election, insisted that legalising marijuana won't eliminate drug traffickers: "It will make it legal for them to destroy our children. Hands off our kids." Through recent amendments to the law, Malta already allows for the use of medical cannabis that is only granted following a rigid pro- cess that involves the approval of at least two medical specialists and the Medicines Authority. It was in 2014 that former health minister Godfrey Farrugia first called for the legislation of short- term personal use of non-smoked cannabis for purely medical pur- poses. It is not clear how many patients actually make use of medical can- nabis, as the bureaucratic process makes it more difficult to access it. According to the Prime Minister, there are two or three patients in Malta who suffer from a terminal illness and who make use of medi- cal cannabis to help alleviate the pain. Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fulfilled a campaign pledge when he in- troduced legislation to legalise the recreational use of marijuana. Trudeau has argued that criminal prohibition had failed to protect youths and the community. In Colorado, marijuana was legal- ised in 2012 and a survey data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment showed that marijuana use did not increase since legalisation. But opponents often claim that people who use marijuana are more likely to move on to harder drugs.