It’s about ‘harm-reduction’, not ‘recreational cannabis’
The reform envisages licensed dispensaries: though it remains to be seen whether these will take the form of the traditional pharmacy, or some other concept
February 25, 2018
Malta is poised to become a centre for the production of medical marijuana – while also relaxing its cannabis legislation further – after decades of a no-compromise, ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards all drugs. Some see this as a direct U-turn, that will turn the country into a drug traffickers’ paradise. But Julia Farrugia-Portelli, the parliamentary secretary entrusted with the reform, argues that the whole point is to eliminate trafficking, and maximise the user’s safety. "What is happening today is a continuation from the previous legislature. Our argument was: if someone is caught with a joint, it shouldn’t lead to a situation where that person’s criminal record is tarnished. That reform was affected in the last legislature; now, we are taking it a step further."
