NGOs, social workers and medical associations have expressed their concern over the government’s attitude towards the appeal to change the proposed cannabis law, saying that it is not listening to any of this country’s citizens.
The organisations are calling on the government to hear what many organisations have to say and to make the necessary amendments, precisely as a harm reduction measure. The organisations believe that the amendments will mitigate the negative impact the law will have on society.
Following the presentation to Parliament of a petition signed by 56 constituted bodies, organisations and individuals proposing a number of amendments to the cannabis reform Bill, the general public was given the opportunity to sign a petition directly online through the Parliament website.
This petition remains open until Sunday (today) and in four days, more than 8,000 citizens signed the petition to amend the law.
In a press conference on Sunday, the organisations and individuals behind the petition said that there has never been a petition that has garnered so many signatures in such a short time.
On Saturday, a letter was sent to Petitions Committee chair Joe Mizzi to close the petition at 11:30pm in accordance with committee guidelines 6.1 and to meet and discuss this petition in accordance with guidelines 7.1.
In a statement, the organisation said that various professionals and associations contributed by making their voices heard in the media including doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, pharmacists, among others. Several amendments were submitted and none of them were accepted by the parliamentary committee at the stage of the second reading.
“All those who signed the petition are in favour of decriminalisation. Nobody was sent to prison or had their police conduct tarnished because they were caught with a joint. The law is being presented by Minister Owen Bonnici as being a progressive one, when it is one that will hurt society,” the statement read.
The petition can continue being signed by the public until 11:30pm.