The European Cities Against Drugs (ECAD) was founded in 1994 as a counterforce against the drug legislation and harm reduction movements. Among the first cities to join were Stockholm, Berlin, Paris, London, Oslo and Valletta.

It was the best thing we ever did.

The narcotics industry has succeeded in establishing a mounting presence in our midst, first slowly and without gaining serious attention, almost as if it were providing additional glamour and entertainment in our lives, and then with determination and strength, organisational brilliance, employing force and now using the means of modern telecommunications.

The openness of our borders through Malta’s entry into the EU, the free movement of people from one country to another has also provided the narcotics industry with better mobility and opportunities.

We have to fight more against the drug problem in Malta. It is not enough for Sedqa and Caritas to take full responsibility for reforming the young. We all have a part to play in establishing a drug-free island because like ECAD, I firmly believe that it is wrong to wash our hands and abandon those human beings who take drugs.

When Valletta joined ECAD and spoke of a drug-free Europe as I myself did during an ECAD conference in Ireland two years ago, there were many spokespersons who rejected it as being a Utopian objective, but I must say that it is possible to get back to a life without drugs and to do so completely without the help of drugs.

Everyone’s cooperation – councils, politicians, drug squads, doctors – and continuous dialogue are of paramount importance because the enemy is unfortunately growing in strength, becoming more global and more effective, amassing great wealth from the suffering of others and arming itself to escape our efforts. We must rehabilitate those who make use of drugs; we must fight for their freedom. This is my personal feeling and the reason I am so engaged in ECAD’s goals.

Valerie Borg

VALLETTA