The decriminalisation of drugs -- Id-dekriminalizzazzjoni tad-droga

In 2015, drug abuse legislation in Malta had changed, in that someone found guilty of cultivating a single cannabis plant convinces a court this was done for his personal use, would not be automatically given a jail sentence or suspended sentence, and instead be given a fine intended to be given to organisations working in the rehabilitation sphere.

 

This law gives the opportunity for some of those caught with illegal drugs to be helped to cut their drug addiction, something considered a higher priority than a criminal process.  This was a really positive and courageous step.

 

It seem that this 2015 change has borne fruit, as since then, out of 1045 case of drug abuse, on 32 were found to have relapsed.1

 

In the middle of the expected brouhaha before this June's election in Malta and the relentless battle between the two major parties, one proposal has been made that has elements of support in both parties, and hopefully of the country.

 

I'm referring to a proposal from a forum organised by the Maltese Justice Ministry, that the definition of personal use as against trafficking be widened, so that those caught with more than one cannabis plant be able to argue that this was for personal use.  This would be a further step in the 2015 change.

 

This proposal seems to have the consensuf of all agencies involved in the drug scene, and was being considered by the Maltese Government.2

 

I consider this step to also be positive, reflecting a trend in countries around the world to reduce the criminalisation of drugs.  As argued in a report for the Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl Foundation, someone addicted to drugs can be considered to have a mental disorder, and evidently is a patient that needs care rather than a criminal that needs to be punished.3

 

After all, there are other drugs having very ugly effects, even fatal ones, that society does not criminalise their use - I'm referring to tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse and abuse of pharmacist sourced drugs - but considers the consequences of the actions of their perpetrator.  In these cases, the drugs involved are not only decriminalised, but are legal, something that (up to now) is not being mentioned in Malta for the currently illegal drugs.

 

Australia has recently seen a move in this space, not on the recreational use of cannabis but on its therapeutic use (as an epilepsy cure).  In fact, the use of cannabis for therapeutic use was legalised towards the end of last year.  You would still need a doctor's prescription and a long individual approval process, as the authority in medicinal products (Therapeutic Goods Association) has not yet formally approved cannabis as a medical treatment.4

 

Countries have different attitudes to the use of cannabis.  Those that, like Malta, maintain that its use is illegal but permit or tolerate personal consumption include Holland, Urugway, India and Nepal.  Countries that, like Australia, permit medicinal use of cannabis include Canada, Israel and parts of the USA.

Cannabis is one of the so-called 'soft' drugs, as it's considered to have less negative effects and creates less dependency than those considered 'hard' drugs like cocaine and heroin.

 

Having less effects does not mean there being no effects.  For example, the continuous consumption of cannabis can affect academic achievement, increase mental illness and can even cause death.5

 

Nevertheless, one might consider whether subjecting an individual with a criminal process, having been caught smoking a joint, can lead him or her to social stigma and a criminal record that is of no help at all to subsequently get a job.  It's easy for a cigarette of a few grammes to lead to a vicious circle, leading to further criminality, jail and massive social problems.

 

I maintain that inadvisable behaviour should not invariably be considered as a criminal act as a deterrent or sanction, as sometimes this causes more harm than good.  I consider Malta's position of reducting the criminalisation of cannabis as a positive step, and am even open to the idea of this substance eventually being legalised.

 

Finally, whether a decision to amend the laws in this regard or otherwise, in Malta or any country, is a political one, and should reflect the acceptance or otherwise of society, its values and how it wishes its sons and daughters are treated when found to be involved in this practice.  We do have to remember, its your and my kids we're talking about.

 

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F'Malta, kienet saret bidla fl-2015 fil-liġi fuq l-abbuż tad-droga, fejn persuna li tinsab ħatja li kkultivat pjanta waħda tal-kannabis u tikkonvinċi l-qorti li dan għamlitha għall-użu personali tagħha, ma tingħatax awtomatikament sentenza ta' inkarċerazzjoniħabs jew sentenza sospiża, u minflok jingħataw multa intenzjonatabil-ħsieb li tingħata lil organizzazzjonijiet li jaħdmu fil-qasam tar-rijabilitazzjoni.

 

Din il-liġi tagħti ċ-ċans lil xi wħud minn dawk huwa maqbuda bi b'drogi llegali li jingħataw assistenza biex jaqta'għu l-vizzju tad-droga, ħaġa li titqies bħala prijorità iktar għolja mill-proċess kriminali.  Dan kien pass kuraġġjuż u pożittiv ferm.

 

Jidher li l-bidla tal-2015 ta l-frott, għax minn dakinhar, minn 1045 kas ta' abbuż ta' droga, 32 biss kienu reċidivi.1

 

Issa f'nofs id-dagħdiegħa mistennija ta' qabel l-elezzjoni ta' Ġunju f'Malta u l-gwerra ħarxa bejn iż-żewġ partiti l-kbar, ħarġet proposta li jidher li għandha appoġġ ta' elementi taż-żewġ partiti, u nispera anke tal-pajjiż.

 

Qiegħed nirreferi għal proposta li ħarġet minn forum organizzat mill-Ministeru tal-Ġustizzja f'Malta, biex titwessa d-definizzjoni ta' użu personali ta' drogi b'kuntrast għal traffikar, biex li wieħed jinqabad b'iktar minn pjanta waħda tal-kannabis ikun xorta jista' jargumenta li dan sar għall-użu personali tiegħu.  Din tkun tfisser tkomplija talpass ieħor fil-bidla li kienet saret fl-2015.

 

Din il-proposta jidher li għandha l-kunsens tal-aġenziji nvoluti fil-qasam tad-drogi, u kienet qed tiġi kkunsidrata mill-Gvern ta' Malta.2

 

Dan il-pass narah pożittiv, u jtirrifletti xejra f'pajjiżi madwar id-dinja biex inaqqsu l-kriminalizzazzjoni tad-drogi.  Kif argumenta rapport tal-Fundazzjoni Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl, wieħed ivvizzjat mid-droga jista' jitqies li għandu diżordni mentali, u evidenti li huwa pazjent li għandu bżonn kura u mhux kriminali li għandu bżonn kastig.3

 

Wara kollox, hemm drogi oħra b'effetti koroh ħafna, anke fatali, li s-soċjetà ma tikkriminalizzax l-użu tagħhom - qiegħed nirreferi għat-tipjip tat-tabakk u għall-alkoħol u l-abbuż ta' drogi li ġġib mill-ispiżjar - imma tħares lejn il-konsegwenza tal-aġir ta' min jużahom.  F'dawn il-każijiet, id-drogi nvoluti mhux biss huma dekriminalizzati imma huma legalizzati, ħaġa li (s'issa) mhix qed tissemma f'Malta għad-drog illegali.

 

Fl-Awstralja, riċentement kellna ċaqlieqa f'dan il-qasam, mhux fuq l-użu rekreazzjonali tal-kannabis  imma fuq l-użu terapewtiku (għall-kura tal-epilessija).  Fil-fatt, il-kannabis għal użu terapewtiku ġie legalizzat lejn l-aħħar tas-sena li għaddiet.  Xorta waħda trid preskrizzjoni tat-tabib biex tużah, u proċess twil ta' approvazzjoni individwali, għax l-awtorità tal-prodotti mediċinali Therapeutic Goods, Association għadu m'approvax formalment lill-kannabis bħala trattament mediku.4

 

 

Pajjiżi differenti għandhom attitudnijiet differenti għall-użu tal-kannabis.  Dawk li, simili għal Malta, jżommu li l-użu huwa illegali imma jippermettu jew jittolleraw l-konsum personali jinkludu l-Olanda, l-Urugwaj, l-Indja u n-Nepal.  Pajjiżi li, bħall-Awstralja, jippermettu l-użu mediċinali tal-kannabis jinkludu l-Kanada, l-Israel u partijiet mill-Istati Uniti.

 

Il-kannabis huwa wieħed mid-drogi meqjusa 'rotob', għax huwa meqjus li għandu inqas effetti ħżiena u jikkreja inqas dipendenza minn dawk meqjusa 'iebsin' bħall-kokaina u l-eroina.  

 

Inqas effetti ma jfissirx li ma jkunx hemm effetti.  Per eżempju, l-konsum kontinwu tal-kannabis jista' jaffettwa l-progress fl-edukazzjoni, iżid il-mard mentali u anke jista' jikkawża l-mewt.5

 

Madankollu, wieħed jista' jikkunsidra li jekk iċċappas lil individwu bi proċess kriminali għax inqabad ipejjep sigarett bil-ħaxixa, dan jista jwasslu li jista' jkollu stigma soċjali, u r-rekord kriminali tiegħi xejn ma jgħin biex isib xogħol.  Faċli li minn sigarett ta' gramma jew tnejn, wieħed jispiċċa f'ċirku vizzjuż, li jwassal għal iktar kriminalità, ħabs u problemi soċjali kbar.

 

Jien ngħid li mhux dejjem li aġir mhux rakkomandabbli għandu jiġi meqjus att kriminali bħala deterrent jew sanzjoni, għax dan jista' jagħmel iktar ħsara milli ġid.  Nara pożittiva l-pożizzjoni ta' tnaqqis tal-kriminalizzazzjoni tal-kannabis li ħadet Malta, u miftuħ ukoll għall-ideja li xi darba din is-sustanza tasal li tkun legalizzata.

 

Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, id-deċiżjoni jekk tinbidilx il-liġi, kemm f'Malta u f'kull pajjiż ieħor, hija politika, u għandha tirrifletti l-aċċettazzjoni jew le tas-soċjetà, il-valuri tagħha u kif tixtieq li uliedha jiġu ttrattati meta jkunu jinqabdu f'din il-prattika.  Għax tabilħaqq, fuq uliedek u uliedi qiegħdin nitkellmu.

1http://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/only-32-cases-out-of-1045-are-relapsers-on-simple-drug-possession/, retrieved 29/5/2017

2https://lovinmalta.com/news/growing-cannabis-in-malta-could-become-easier, retrieved 29/5/2017

3Report on the White Paper regarding Drug Laws Reform; Matthew Muscat, Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl, 2014

4http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/who-can-get-medicinal-marijuana-now-that-its-for-sale/8292498, retrieved 30/5/2017

5https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/assessing-costs-and-benefits-legalising-cannabis, retrieved 30/5/2017

1http://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/only-32-cases-out-of-1045-are-relapsers-on-simple-drug-possession/, retrieved 29/5/2017

2https://lovinmalta.com/news/growing-cannabis-in-malta-could-become-easier, retrieved 29/5/2017

3Report on the White Paper regarding Drug Laws Reform; Matthew Muscat, Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl, 2014

4http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/who-can-get-medicinal-marijuana-now-that-its-for-sale/8292498, retrieved 30/5/2017

5https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/assessing-costs-and-benefits-legalising-cannabis, retrieved 30/5/2017