First time offenders should not be jailed - PN
Replying to questions by The Malta Independent, Nationalist Party spokesman for home affairs Jason Azzopardi believes that first time offenders should not be sentenced to jail for drug possession when used for personal consumption. “In fact, this has been the established practice in our courts for a number of years,” he explained.
Although the Government has announced this decriminalisation bill, Dr Azzopardi argued that the Nationalist Party, when in government, took the initiative and tabled a bill in Parliament which would have provided for first time offenders to be given support by recognised organisations, rather than be put behind bars. This bill had been scrapped due to the forced resignation of the then Minister for Justice Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. Should the Labour Government’s bill recognise these principles, The PN would welcome the initiative.
The government has kept the contents of this drug bill under wraps, however opinions on the topic are already the focal point of widespread discussion.
Decriminalisation will not solve the problem - Caritas
In a statement sent to this newspaper, Caritas Malta gave their views on the topic. “We are of the opinion that decriminalisation does not solve the problem.” Caritas Malta helps around 700 drug users each year, it said, emphasising the long journey undertaken by addicts on the road to recovery.
In order for addicts to be taken to San Blas, the Caritas rehabilitation facility, addicts must first spend three to four months in a shelter, as addicts being treated by methadone cannot be accepted into the programme. “Patients tend to relapse several times during their treatment, it’s all part of the process.”
When it comes to success, Caritas doesn’t base its conclusions purely on curing addiction, but also on personality change. “Some drug users might be prone to beating their family. As such, should they undertake some form of rehabilitation and continue taking drugs but stop using violence, then it’s a success in itself.“
Several years ago, Caritas promoted the idea of instituting a special court with jurisdiction over cases regarding drug-using offenders, which can also provide treatment-based alternatives to prison.
Small-time personal marijuana growers should not be jailed – Gianella de Marco
Criminal lawyer Giannella de Marco believes that the place for users is not prison and depending on the degree of their addiction there should be guidance and rehabilitation. Taking this one step further, Dr de Marco spoke on the need to scrap mandatory prison sentences for users who are also small-time traffickers, and those who grow their own marijuana plants.
“I cannot bear to see more lives of young people destroyed because they chose to traffic or grow their own plants rather than resort to theft or dealings with drug traffickers. The current law, being so harsh, is making sad and desperate situations worse.”
Portugal launched a similar scheme back in 2001, where possession of all drugs in small amounts is now treated as a misdemeanour, on the same level as if one were to receive a parking ticket. Reports have shown that this system has been successful over the past few years.
The police department has yet to answer questions put by this newspaper relating to this topic.