A 70% increase in drug crimes over the last year, as concluded by the Annual Crime Review of 2025, made for concerned reading. It is imperative, therefore, to identify and address the reasons behind such a steep increase in drug offences.
The increase could be due to a complex issue driven by a combination of social, economic, and market-related factors.
In particular, the emergence of new synthetic opioids and a record supply and demand of other drugs have compounded the impacts of our drug problem, leading to a rise in drug use disorders and environmental harms.
Also, as a result of Malta legalising the production and sale of cannabis for non-medical use, statistics point to an increase in harmful use of the drug, leading to a diversification in cannabis products, many with high-THC content. Hospitalisations related to cannabis use disorders and the proportion of people with psychiatric disorders and attempted suicide associated with regular cannabis use are budding problems in our country, especially among young adults.
Drug production, trafficking, and use continue to exacerbate instability and inequality while causing untold harm to people's health, safety, and well-being. The right to health is an internationally recognised human right that belongs to all human beings, regardless of a person's drug use status or whether a person is imprisoned, detained or incarcerated. It applies equally to people who use drugs, their children and families, and other people in their communities.
We need to provide evidence-based treatment and support to all people affected by drug use, while targeting the illicit drug market and investing much more in prevention.
Why the national debt matters
At the end of 2025, central government debt stood at €11,360.4 million (€11.3 billion), an increase of €892.8 million when compared to 2024. Billion-euro deficits are seemingly becoming the norm. Interest rates have been growing and continue to grow rapidly.
Such a national debt is threatening Malta's economic future.
A rising national debt, particularly when it risks growing faster than the economy (GDP), presents significant long-term dangers to our nation's financial stability, economic growth, and ability to respond to emergencies.
Key investments in our future are at risk. Higher interest costs could crowd out important public investments that can fuel economic growth: priority areas such as education, research and development, and infrastructure. A nation saddled with debt will have less to invest in its own future.
Rising debt means fewer economic opportunities for the Maltese, reducing business investment and slowing economic growth. It can also lead to increases in interest rates and inflation.
High amounts of debt could leave our policymakers with much less flexibility to deal with unexpected events. If the country faces a major recession or health crisis, it will be more difficult to recover.
Malta is not yet in the danger zone when it comes to the national debt, but the country could find itself in that situation quickly without medium-term planning.
The national debt should be a bipartisan priority for Maltese people and our lawmakers.
Microchipping pet cats
To date, there is no legal requirement to microchip domestic cats in Malta, although it is strongly encouraged.
Unlike cats, microchipping is already a legal requirement for all dogs in Malta, having been mandatory since 2012.
Now that the European Parliament has approved new legislation requiring all cats and dogs across the EU to be microchipped and registered in a national database, with mandatory chipping taking effect within the next 12-24 months, why not legislate immediately to have such an important and advantageous legal requirement?
Microchipping a pet cat is a small investment that pays off in numerous ways. It is a crucial, permanent method of identification that significantly increases the likelihood of reuniting lost or stolen pets with their owners. The procedure is quick, safe, and cost-effective, providing a lifelong, tamper-proof record that collars and tags cannot, while serving as a vital tool in medical emergencies or for tracking ownership.
The UK and Australia have long legislated for such a requirement, and it has paid dividends.
If your cat's an indoor cat, then microchipping might not be too high on your list of priorities. But if you regularly let your cats out, then microchipping can bring peace of mind.
Anyone who's ever owned an "outdoor cat" will be able to relate to the panic that descends when you wake up to find that your cat hasn't come home.
Pet care leave
While it is a proven fact that more and more couples would rather not have kids, pets are becoming the new "children" for many couples these days.
Perhaps this was the reason behind ADPD's electoral proposal to introduce pet care leave.
For the record, in a landmark Italian superior court ruling in 2017, a university employee successfully argued that not taking time off to care for a sick dog could constitute animal abandonment, a criminal offence.
It was thus that, earlier this year, Italy formally introduced a legal framework allowing paid sick leave specifically to care for pets; pet owners can take up to three days of paid leave per year when their pet, registered and microchipped, requires surgery or urgent care as certified by a veterinarian.
While Italy is the first to implement a national policy, similar initiatives are being discussed elsewhere. In the United States, lawmakers in New York have proposed a new draft law which would allow employees to use existing paid sick leave to care for a pet companion or for urgent veterinary services.
This legislative shift is part of a growing trend to recognise pets as sentient family members, rather than property, allowing employees to manage pet emergencies without losing wages.
Can it be that, one day in the near future, Malta will manage to make it the second country that will have made a giant, revolutionary leap forward in animal welfare?
Dr. Mark Said