AD on Holmes and drug legislation

Following yesterday’s Appeals Court sentence, Prof Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson,  said: “The confirmation of the 10 year sentence in the Daniel Holmes’ case shows that Maltese drug laws are in need of a total rehaul, which gives priority to the classification of different drugs, the definition of the quantification of amounts as regards trafficking, the specification of what minimum amount constitutes cultivation and the decriminalisation of drugs for personal use.”

Spokesperson for Social Policy, Robert Callus, said: “Once again strictly adhering to technicalities has won over common sense. For instance, according to the court experts he could have made 5000 joints from the leaves found, when in truth leaves are not smoked due to their miniscule THC content. THC is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. The charge of cultivation which significantly increases the sentence means nothing less that the cannabis was in a pot. Why should this make it a worse crime than someone who buys dried cannabis bud or resin?”

Wara d-deċiżjoni tal-Qorti tal-Appell li ttieħdet din il-ġimgħa, Prof Arnold Cassola, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, qal: “Il-konferma ta’ sentenza ta’ għaxar snin ħabs fil-każ ta’ Daniel Holmes’ turi li hemm bżonn li jiġu riveduti bis-serjeta’ l-liġijiet ta’ Malta dwar id-drogi . Jeħtieġ li tingħata priorita` lill-klassifikazzjoni ta’ drogi differenti, id-definizjoni tal-kwantifikazzjoni ta’ ammonti fejn jidħol traffikar, l-ispeċifikar ta’ xi nfissru b’ammont minimu fejn tidħol kultivazzjoni u d-dekriminilizzazzjoni tad-drogi għall-użu personali.”

Il-Kelliem għall-Politika Soċjali, Robert Callus, qal: “Għal darb’oħra il-fittaġni fit-teknikalitajiet rebħet fuq is-sens komun. Per eżempju skont l-esperti tal-qorti, Holmes seta’ jagħmel 5000 joint mill-weraq li nstabu meta fil-verita’ il-weraq tal-pjanta ma jitpejpux minħabba l-ammont ferm ċkejken ta’ THC. THC hija l-kimika responsabbli għal ħafna mill-effetti psikoloġiċi tal-ħaxixa.  L-akkuża ta’ kultivazzjoni li żżid sew is-sentenza ma tfisser xejn ħlief li l-cannabis kienet ġo qasrija.  Għalfejn dan il-fatt għandu jagħmilha azzjoni kriminali iktar serja minn min jixtri cannabis bud niexfa jew resin?”

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