Today Ralph Cassar on behalf of ADPD submitted a document (attached) on drug and cannabis policy in response to the White Paper published by Government.
ADPD – The Greens’ Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar said: “Research on drugs and even cannabis is public and has been going on for some time now. In actual fact this research says that policies on drug should be separate from the criminal justice system, and based on a social and medical model. It is a fact that not all users have major problems since this depends on many factos. Research shows that scare tactics and heavy handed law enforcement on users are actually counter-productive. Research also shows that it is the war against drug users, with a heavy handed one size fits all attitude, that has totally failed and ruined people’s lives. There are those who found themselves both addicted to strong drugs and also trapped in the criminal system. There are those who were afraid to seek help because they feared ending up being investigated by the Police. Research shows that there needs to be a classification system for substances according to their effects, and that legislation in many countries ignores science and perpetuates moral panic. It is accessible services in the community that are most important thing in helping people with issues, along with a better quality of life for all, a better environment and public facilities for sport and recreation. The culture of fear leads us nowhere.”
“When it comes to cannabis, the most sensible step is a pragmatic model. Regulating cannabis, which is different from other substances, makes more sense than panic and control over thousands of people who use this substance. It should be possible for cannabis and seeds to be purchased legally, under reasonable controls, from shops specially licensed for this purpose. Processed products should be subject to the same taxation as other processed ‘smoked’ products such as cigarettes and tobacco. Smoking restrictions and those which apply to tobacco advertising should also apply to cannabis.The White Paper mentions that cannabis smoking is not allowed in the open. This seems to perpetuate the myth that someone passing by will be affected. With the same controls like in the case of cigarettes outdoor smoking should be allowed. It is better to smoke outdoors than indoors. As the White Paper says it should also be possible for a person to grow the plant for their own use. ‘Sharing’ between adults should not be considered a criminal act. Models such as non-profit cooperatives in Spain should also be considered. Cannabis Social Clubs are a type of cannabis growers association for adults. This possibility could also be an option for those who do not have the opportunity to grow their cannabis at home, both due to lack of space and concerns about minors’ access to cannabis. Without this possibility, a large number of people could still end up either resorting to the illegal market or being criminalised.”
“Ultimately it doesn’t make sense to keep wasting the country’s resources on cannabis users, which has fewer effects than alcohol use, and even than regular cigarette smoking. It makes more sense to use Police resources to traffickers of dangerous drugs. Studies show that cannabis use does not increase criminal and violent acts, and that it is fact arrests because of cannabis, which increase social problems.”
“The decriminalisation of drugs, and the regulation of a legal cannabis market, means a change of mindset. Not every problem or perception a problem is addressed by dragging people to court. A science-based drug classification system is imperative, as is a harm reduction approach to drug use. Not every person is the same, not every person has the same experiences. That is why we believe, that together with holistic policies that improve people’s quality of life, drug decriminalisation, cannabis regulation, and strengthening social and community services are the way forward.”
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Politika dwar id-droga b’wiċċ uman
Illum Ralph Cassar f’isem ADPD issottometta dokument (anness) dwar il-politika dwar id-droga u dwar il-kannabis b’reazzjoni għall-White Paper ippublikata mill-Gvern.
Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD, Dr Ralph Cassar, qal:”Ir-riċerka dwar id-droga u anke dwar il-kannabis hija pubblika u ilha ssir. Ir-realta hi li hawn min jaħseb li r-riċerka tgħidlek li l-qasam tad-droga għandha tibqa’ taħt il-kappa tal-ġustizzja kriminali, li kull min juża d-droga għandu problemi kbar – ‘l hekk imsejjaħ ‘deficit model’ – u li l-aħjar mod kif ittejjeb il-kwalita’ tal-ħajja tan-nies huwa li tbeżżagħhom u li titrattahom ta’ persuni li mhux kapaċi jiddeċiedu għalihom infushom. Ir-riċerka filfatt turi li hija l-gwerra kontra min juża d-droga, b’kejl wieħed għal kulħadd li falliet totalment u qerdet il-ħajja tan-nies. Gwerra li sallbet lin-nies li sabu ruħhom dipendenti fuq drogi qawwija u wkoll maqbudin fis-sistema kriminali, jew dawk li spiċċaw ħażin għax beżgħu jfittxu l-għajnuna għax jispiżżaw investigati huma wkoll. Ir-riċerka turi li hemm bżonn klassifikazzjoni tad-drogi differenti skont l-effetti u li l-leġiżlazzjoni f’bosta pajjiżi tinjora x-xjenza u tipperpetwa l-paniku morali ta’ xi wħud. Ir-riżerka turi li huma s-servizzi fil-komunita li huma aċċessibbli għal kulħadd li huma l-aktar ħaġa importanti, flimkien ma’ kwalita’ tal-ħajja aħjar, ambjent aħjar u faċilitajiet pubbliċi għall-isport u r-rikreazzjoni, u mhux kultura ta’ biża’.”
“Rigward il-kannabis, l-aktar pass li jagħmel sens huwa mudell pragmatiku. Ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-kannabis, li hija differenti minn sustanzi oħra, tagħmel aktar sens mill-paniku u l-konrtoll fuq eluf ta’ persuni li jużaw is-sustanza. Għandu jkun possibli li l-kannabis u żerriegħa awtorizzata tinxtara, taħt kontrolli raġjonevoli, minn ħwienet liċenzjati apposta għal dan l-iskop. Prodotti proċessati għandhom ikunu soġġetti għall-istess tassazzjoni ta’ prodotti proċessati oħra bħas-sigaretti u t-tabakk. Ir-restrizzjonijiet ta’ fejn wieħed jista’ jpejjep u dawk li japplikaw għar-riklamar tat-tabakk għandhom japplikaw ukoll għall-kannabis.
Il-White Paper issemmi li ma jistax isir tipjip ta’ kannabis fil-miftuħ. Hemm l-impressjoni li jekk xi ħadd jgħaddi minn fejn xi ħadd li jkun qed ipejjep dan se jkollu xi effett fuq il-persuna. Dan huwa mit. B’kontrolli bħal ma hemm fil-każ tas-sigarretti t-tipjip fil-miftuħ għandu jkun permess. Aħjar wieħed ipejjep fil-miftuħ milli f’postijiet magħluqa u bla ventilazzjoni adegwata. Kif tgħid il-White Paper għandu jkun possibbli wkoll li persuna tkabbar il-pjanta għall-użu tagħha. ‘Sharing’ bejn persuni adulti m’għandux jitqies bħala att kriminali. Għal kuntrarju ta’ min iqabbel il-kannabis mal-industrija tas-sigarretti, il-kannabis tista’ titkabbar minn min jużaha u għalhekk m’hemmx bżonn li jiddependi minn xi kumpanija jew industrija. Mudelli bħal koperattivi li ma jagħmlux profitt fi Spanja għandhom jiġu wkoll ikkounsidrati. Cannabis Social Clubs huma tip ta’ għaqdiet ikabbru l-kannabis għall-membri adulti tagħhom. Din il-possibilità tista’ wkoll tkun għażla għal min m’għandux il-possibilità li jkabbar il-kannabis tiegħu d-dar, kemm minħabba nuqqas ta’ spazju u anke minħabba tħassib, li wieħed jifmhu, dwar l-aċċess ta’ minorenni għall-kannabis. Jekk ma jkunx hemm dil-possibilità xorta jista’ jkun li numru mdaqqas ta’ persuni jispiċċaw jew jirrikorru għas-suq illegali jew jispiċċaw jiġu kriminalizzati.”
“Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ma jagħmilx sens li nibqgħu naħlu r-riżorsi tal-pajjiż niġru wara min juża l-kannabis, li tħalli inqas effetti mill-użu tal-alkoħol, u anke t-tipjip regolari tas-sigarretti. Hu iktar utli li r-riżorsi tal-Pulizija jintużaw biex jinqabdu t-traffikanti ta’ drogi qawwija u perikolużi. La hawn min isemmi l-istudji, fl-Istati Uniti ma nstabx li kien hemm relazzjoni bejn l-użu dikriminalizzat tal-kannabis u r-rata ta’ atti kriminali u atti vjolenti. L-istudju jgħid li arresti minħabba l-kannabis, jkattru l-problemi soċjali tal-persuni arrestati.”
“Id-dikriminalizazzjoni tad-droga, u r-regolamentazzjoni ta’ suq legali tal-kannabis, ifisser li nbiddlu l-mentalità. Li mhux kull problema jew perċezzjoni ta’ xi problema tiġi indirizzatha billi nkaxkru n-nies il-qrati, il-ħabs jew jintbgħatu l-Pulizija jissorveljawhom. Minbarra l-fatt li klassifikazzjoni tad-droga hija neċessarja, u harm reduction huwa apporċċ indispensabbli, mhux kull persuna l-istess, mhux kull persuna għandha l-istess esperjenzi. Huwa għalhekk li nemmnu, li flimkien ma’ politika ħolistika li ttejjeb il-kwalità tal-ħajja tan-nies, id-dekriminalizazzjoni tad-droga, ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-kannabis, u tisħiħ ta’ servizzi soċjali u komunitarji huma t-triq ‘il quddiem.”
