Joey Reno Vella has been appointed executive chairman of the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis, the government said on Tuesday.

Vella is a lawyer specialising in civil and criminal law as well as the Family Court.

He has worked on the drafting of several reforms and legislation, including the law relating to the responsible use of cannabis.

Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg congratulated Vella and thanked his predecessor Leonid McKay for his work.

McKay is set to move to the government jobs agency JobsPlus.