The Nationalist Party has asked Parliament to convene the Petitions Committee to discuss a petition regarding the cannabis reforms that was received on Tuesday.

A vote was taken on the third reading of the bill today, but a division was called, meaning the final vote will be held on the 14th December. PN Whip Robert Cutajar said that the Opposition will vote against, but made the request for the petitions committee to convene after Parliament received a petition about the Bill today.

A large number of organisations representing all sectors of society and a wide range of social partners have presented a petition to Parliament in a final bid to convince the Government to introduce a stronger regulatory framework once it has decided to rush through a bill regulating cannabis use.

The petition has also been endorsed by Her Excellency Marie Louse Coleiro Preca, President Emeritus.  A number of academics from the University of Malta and other individuals have also joined the organisations in signing the petition.

The organisations said that they have decided to make this final attempt since they believe this issue is a critical one with far reaching implications for society. 

“The government has ignored numerous reasonable and balanced amendments and has remained adamant to pass a very weak regulatory framework which risks leaving a massive negative impact on our society, especially among children, youths and the most vulnerable,” they said on Tuesday.

The petition asks Parliament to amend the prosed bill by amending six aspects of the law. The aim is to create a stronger regulatory framework and mitigate the possible risks to society this law may bring about, they said.

The points being proposed are an increase in the age when consuming  cannabis would be made legal through the Bill from 18 to 25; an increase in the distance of cannabis clubs from schools, youth centres and post-secondary institutions from a mere 250 metres to 1 kilometre; and the doubling of fines for smoking cannabis in front of children and in public.

The petition also proposes the removal of the possibility allowed in the law for cannabis to be grown in residences adjacent to schools; the regulation of the amount of THC allowed in cannabis; and a removal of the reference to educational campaigns mentioned in the Bill to retain clearly the present situation whereby Government campaigns on drug use focus exclusively on prevention measures explaining the risks of cannabis use.

The petition is asking Members of Parliament to listen to the voices of all organisations, constituted bodies, medical experts, educators, professionals from the psycho-social field, academics , organisations with years of experience in the drug prevention field, former drug users and many others  who have all expressed their serious concerns about this proposed law.

At this late stage in the parliamentary debate, the organisations and individuals, representing thousands of stakeholders, are making a strong appeal to Members of Parliament side “to reflect on the far reaching negative repercussion this law may bring on our society and to at least introduce these mitigating amendments.”

Parliamentary procedure normally requires a couple of months to pass before a petition is discussed, so that people can sign the petition online, but PN Whip Robert Cutajar told this newsroom that procedure can be suspended through agreement from both sides of Parliament. "Despite making the formal request for the committee to meet urgently, the first indication is that government is not ready to reach agreement," Cutajar said.

The organisations and individuals presenting the petition are the following:

1.       Caritas Malta

2.       OASI Foundation

3.       Malta Employers’ Association (MEA)

4.       Malta Chamber of Commerce and Industry

5.       Medical Association of Malta (MAM)

6.       Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN)

7.       Malta Chamber of Pharmacists

8.       Gozo Business Chamber

9.       Malta Association of Social Workers

10.   Malta Association of Psychiatry

11.   Secretariat for Catholic Education (SfCE)

12.   Church Schools’ Association

13.   Gozo Tourism Association

14.   Richmond Foundation

15.   Zghazagh Azzjoni Kattolika ZAK

16.   Azzjoni Kattolika

17.   Malta Girl Guides

18.   Home Away from Home

19.   National Foster Care Association Malta

20.   National Parents Society for Persons with Disability

21.   St Jeanne Antide Foundation

22.   Paolo Freire Institute

23.   Millennium Chapel

24.   SOS Malta

25.   Dar Merhba Bik

26.   Youth Alive Foundation

27.   Social Assistance Secretariat

28.   Kummissjoni Djocesana Djakonija

29.   Dar tal-Providenza

30.   Society St Vincent De Paule

31.   Church Homes for the Elderly

32.   Ufficcju Hidma Pastorali mal-Persuni Separati

33.   Mater Dei and Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre Chaplains

34.   RISE Foundation

35.   Dar Hosea

36.   Peace and Good Foundation

37.   Migrants Commission

38.   Kummissjoni Gustizzja u Paci

39.   Osanna Pia Foundation

40.   Fondazzjoni Sebħ

41.   Life Network Foundation

42.   Karl Vella Foundation

43.   Malta CAN (Children’s Associations Network)

44.   National Association of Pensioners

45.   H.E. President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca

46.   Professor Andrew Azzopardi, Dean, Faculty of Social Wellbeing, UoM

47.   Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Social Wellbeing, UoM

48.   Dr Colin Calleja, Dean, Faculty of Education, UoM

49.   Dr Michelle Attard Tonna, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Education, UoM

50.   Dr Sandra Scicluna, Head, Department of Criminology, Faculty for Social Wellbeing UoM

51.   Georgina Debattista, Visiting Senior Lecturer, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, UoM

52.   Max Cassar, Department of Psychology, UoM

53.   Angela Caruana - Children's Rights Activist