22 entities presented a position paper on the recreational cannabis bill to members of parliament, expressing serious concern about the short and long term effects on society of the proposed legislation and calling for a serious, mature and researched debate on the subject.

The proposed bill will be presented today for debate in Parliament.

All entities, many of which work with children and young people, strongly believe that as currently presented, the bill will have a negative effect in normalising drug use while failing to protect both society and drug users.

While the 22 entities said that they support the current law which decriminalises the possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use, they are very critical of the rush with which, at the tail end of this legislature and on the eve of a general election, Parliament is being asked to pass this new law proposing “radical and risky changes.”

The entities called on the government to press the ‘pause’ button and to put the draft bill on hold until “a serious, independent, and researched study is carried out about the social impact of the proposals listed in the bill.”

In their position paper, the organisations said that the law “will contribute strongly to the normalisation of a dangerous practice such as cannabis use is very high.”

As a result, they said, the law should have the following introductory statement, they said: "Cannabis use is not a healthy practice and may be dangerous. Prevention is the best way forward. This law is being drafted to ensure that adults who are 25 year of age or older and who choose to smoke cannabis, should have access to 'safer' forms of cannabis.”

In their position paper, the entities gave detailed feedback on various proposals while pointing out that the draft bill creates a very weak regulated model with huge loopholes for abuse.

They expressed serious concern about a number of aspects proposed in the law including the very limited regulation of cannabis grown in households, as well as the weak regulation of the opening of cannabis growing associations in all towns and villages.

On the latter point, the organisations said that the 250-metre distance limit away from schools, youth centres and clubs is not adequate to safeguard such institutions and the children and youths attending them and that this distance should be increased to 1km, and that the distance should also apply for institutions catering for students aged 18 and over.

They further noted that there is no mention of any safeguards to avoid people who may exacerbate existing conditions through the use of cannabis becoming members of such associations.  They also said that the limit on the amount of dried cannabis an association can store does not tally up with the maximum amount of members that an association can have, saying that with a capping of 500 members, associations would only be able to cater for 70 members in a day.

“Clearly, the aim of placing limits to the amounts available look good on paper but would be very difficult to implement realistically and as is often the case in Malta, would end up being overlooked,” their feedback reads.

They also said that a limit on the amount of THC in the cannabis supplied at social clubs should be set in any bill immediately, and not left to the Cannabis Authority.

Another serious concern, they said, is the possibility of using loopholes in the proposed law to allow the use of cannabis in public, despite declarations to the contrary made in the law.

“A provision for this medical use in public should not be included in this bill since it opens up a huge loophole for those who would want to use this loophole to bypass the prohibition of consumption of cannabis in public. If it is felt necessary it should be covered in the legislation for the medical use of cannabis,” the organisation said.

They also noted that a €500 fine is not enough of a penalty for consuming cannabis in the presence of minors, noting that the penalties “should reflect the seriousness of situations where adults place adolescents and children at risk by consuming cannabis in their presence.”

The 22 signatories of this position paper presented to members of parliament are: Caritas Malta, Church Homes for the Elderly, Church Schools’ Association, Dar Merħba Bik Foundation, Dar tal-Providenza, Fondazzjoni Sebħ, Justice and Peace Commission, Kummissjoni Djoċesana Djakonija, Malta Catholic Youth Network (MCYN), Mater Dei and Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre Chaplains, Millenium Chapel, Oasi Foundation, Paulo Freire Institute Foundation, Peace and Good Foundation, Secretariat for Catholic Education, Social Assistance Secretariat (SAS), Society St Vincent de Paul, SOS Malta, St Jeanne Antide Foundation, the Conference of Religious Major Superiors (KSMR), Uffiċċju Ħidma Pastorali mal-Persuni Separati and YMCA Malta.