A recent Eurobarometer survey showed that people in Malta are very concerned about illicit drug use in the country.

503 interviews were conducted with respondents from Malta for the Eurobarometer. The interviews were carried out in September of this year.

37% of respondents from Malta believe that the use of illicit drugs is a very serious problem in their local area, and 30% said that they believe drug trafficking in their local area is a very serious problem. Furthermore, 20% and 22% said that illicit drug use and drug trafficking in their local area is a somewhat serious problem respectively.

The police have had some major drug finds over recent months, which is, at the end of the day, good police work. But the survey highlights that people are worried about the drug situation.

The fact that not once, but twice 100kg of drugs or over was found at the Freeport recently is evidence of crime rings operating in Malta, ones with foreign contacts. Now some people have been arrested and charged, and the courts will determine their innocence or guilt, but the police must continue working to uncover and arrest all those who are bringing illegal drugs into the country.

Drug trafficking is also linked to other crimes, such as money laundering. Traffickers must be caught and face the consequences of their crimes.

Drug addiction has serious consequences. Aside from the obvious danger to one's health, the fact that they are highly addictive has other consequences. Drug use can end up splitting families apart, and driving people to committing other crimes to pay for their drug habits. It's a spiral, one that could ruin a person's life.

What is also very worrying, is that of the respondents from Malta who indicated that illicit drug use is a problem in their local area, 55% said children and teenagers taking drugs is a problem associated with the use of illicit drugs in their local area. Of the Malta respondents who replied that they believe the trafficking of drugs is a problem, 56% said that children and teenagers being involved in drug trafficking is a problem associated with trafficking of drugs in their local area.

In order for people to hold such a belief, there is a reason for it, which in itself is highly concerning. More needs to be done to reach out to teenagers and show them the real threat of drug use and the consequences that come with it.

Anyone who is already addicted to drugs needs support, and here society must not turn a blind eye. There are programmes out there, such as the ones run by Caritas, that are there to help people, but that is not enough. Society must be willing to help those who are addicted seek support, and must support those organisations that are capable of offering the help that addicts need to reform themselves.