“Drug policy cannot be carried out in a piecemeal fashion.” In a press conference in front of the Parliament building in Valletta ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said “a drug policy should be coherent and with a human face, one which takes care of and defends the vulnerable and not continue to punish them or at times ignore them completely.”
ADPD – The Green Party General Secretary Dr Ralph Cassar said: “ADPD welcomes the parliamentary discussion on cannabis regulation. ADPD – The Green Party has always insisted in its electoral programmes that that there should be a reform of drug legislation. This reform should lead to acknowledge that not all drug users, especially cannabis users, are necessarily ‘addicts’. We have always insisted for the Police persecution on drug users to stop. A drug policy with a human face where regulation, social approach and medical intervention where necessary is provided, beyond the criminal justice system that leads to more harm than good, harming people unnecessarily.
“Unfortunately, many are those who believe that cannabis users should continue to be demonized. Many still believe that the best way to improve others’ quality of life is to instil fear in them and treat them as incapable individuals unable to take their own decisions. However, studies have shown that it is the war on drug users, standardised across the board, that has completely failed and destroyed the lives of those whom it was meant to help.”
“A pragmatic model would make more sense in the case of cannabis use. While the use of cannabis other than for medical reasons should not be normalised, the regulation of cannabis – which is different than other substances – makes more sense than the panic and control of thousands that use it. The setting up of an authority to regulate access to cannabis is to be commended. Proposals that ADPD have made many years ago are finally being accepted by the PL. But the PN is hiding behind the usual smokescreen of ‘more studies’, when in reality these have been already carried out and shown how the moral panic on cannabis has done more harm than good. PN (and its allies) are still using fear to continue persecuting those who are capable to make their own decisions, without being labelled as criminals, in the courts and sometimes even ending up in prison.”
ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said: “We should stand up to those who are spreading paranoia about cannabis regulation. We hope that our society moves forward and abandons the so-called ‘war on drugs’ policy that has failed and brought havoc and destruction on a societal and individual level – a war that essentially destroyed and continues to harm drug users. Research must be ongoing, not just about cannabis but also on other drugs. The Portuguese model that takes a social approach towards drug use of all types had and continues to be successful in minimizing the harm done by stronger substances.”
It would have been appropriate if Government publishes studies commissioned and on the basis of which it planned the reforms being discussed by Parliament. None have so far seen the light of day.
“The vulnerable among us including children, require protection which the Bill currently before Parliament does not always consider. Likewise, the concern by the social partners about how the proposed reform could impact health and safety at the workplace. But this concern applies also to alcohol abuse and the use of some medicines too. A social approach and medical intervention where necessary remain the more sensible route than criminalisation. The resources saved from unnecessary persecution of drug users should be invested in community services. In fact, research shows that community services accessible to all together with a better quality of life, greener environment and public sport and recreation facilities are much more important than a culture fear. ADPD augurs that a mature discussion is given the time it needs to unfold, free from electoral time frames.”
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Id-droga u l-kannabis – politika b’wiċċ uman
“Il-politika dwar id-droga ma tistax issir bil-biċċiet. Trid tkun waħda koerenti u b’wiċċ uman: jiġifieri trid tħares lejn u tiddefendi lill-vulnerabbli u mhux tibqa’ tikkastighom jew xi drabi tkun indifferenti fil-konfront tagħhom.” Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party dalgħodu f’konferenza stampa l-Belt quddiem il-bini tal-Parlament.
Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar qal: “ADPD tilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon id-diskussjoni fil-Parlament dwar ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-kannabis. Tfakkar li fil-programmi elettorali tagħha ADPD – The Green Party dejjem saħqet fuq il-ħtieġa ta’ riforma fil-liġijiet dwar id-drogi. Dan biex jagħrfu li mhux kull min juża d-droga, partikolarment il-kannabis huwa bilfors ‘ivvizzjat’. Dejjem sħaqna biex tieqaf il-persekuzzjoni tal-Pulizija fuq min juża d-droga. Il-politika dwar id-droga għandu jkollha wiċċ uman, jiġifieri regolamentazzjoni, approċċ soċjali u fejn hemm bżonn mediku, lil’hinn mis-sistema tal-ġustizzja kriminali li tagħmel aktar ħsara milli ġid u tkisser ‘il-persuni bla bżonn.”
“Sfortunatament hawn min irid jibqa’ jiddemonizza lil min juża l-kannabis. Hawn min għadu jaħseb 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.”
“Dwar il-kannabis, l-aktar pass li jagħmel sens huwa mudell pragmatiku. Filwaqt li wieħed m’għandux jinnormalizza l-użu tal-kannabis jekk mhux għal raġunijiet mediċi, ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-kannabis, li hija differenti minn sustanzi oħra, tagħmel aktar sens mill-paniku u l-kontroll fuq eluf ta’ persuni li jużaw is-sustanza. Huwa tajjeb li se tkun qegħdha titwaqqaf awtorità li tirregola l-aċċess għall-kannabis. Il-PL fl-aħħar qed jaqbel mal-proposti li għamilna snin ilu. Iżda l-PN qed jistaħba wara s-soltu skuża ta’ ‘aktar studji’, meta fir-realtà ilhom isiru studji li juru kif il-paniku morali fuq il-kannabis għamel ħafna ħsara. Il-PN (u l-alleati tagħhom) qed jużaw l-arma tal-biża’ biex ikomplu jippersegwitaw lil persuni li huma kapaċi jagħmlu l-għażliet tagħhom, mingħajr ma jkunu imċappsin mal-kriminali, mal-qrati u saħansitra f’xi każi l-ħabs.”
Ic-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo qal: “Għandna nieqfu lil min qed ixerred il-paranoja fuq ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-kannabis. Nisperaw li s-soċjetà tagħna tagħmel pass ‘il quddiem, u tabbanduna l-politika falluta, kattiva u diżastruża fuq livell soċjali u individwali msejjħa ‘war on drugs’ li filfatt m’hi xejn ħlief gwerra li kissret u qed tkisser lil min juża d-droga. Il-bżonn tar-riċerka kontinwa tibqa’, mhux biss fuq il-kannabis izda anke fuq drogi oħra. Il-mudell Portugiz li jieħu approċċ socjali lejn l-abbuż ta’ kull tip ta’ droga kellu u għandu suċċessi kbar u qed inaqqas il-ħsara li issir mid-drogi qawwija.”
“Il-vulnerabbli fosthom tfal jeħtieġu l-protezzjoni li l-abbozz quddiem il-Parlament mhux jikkunsidrah biżżejjed. L-istess dwar it-tħassib tal-imsieħba soċjali dwar kif din ir-riforma tista’ teffettwa s-saħħa u s-sigurtà fuq il-post tax-xogħol. Dan it-tħassib iżda jgħodd ukoll għall-abbuż mix-xorb alkoħoliku, u anke minn xi mediċini. Xorta waħda approċċ socjali u fejn hemm bzonn mediku jibqa’ jagħmel aktar sens minn approċċ ta’ kriminalizazzjoni.”
“Ir-riżorsi iffrankati minn persekuzzjoni bla bżonn ta’ min juża d-drogi, għandom jiġu investiti f’servizzi fil-komunità. Ir-riċerka filfatt turi li huma s-servizzi fil-komunità li huma aċċessibbli għal kulħadd li huma l-aktar ħaġa importanti, flimkien ma’ kwalità tal-ħajja aħjar, ambjent aħjar u faċilitajiet pubbliċi għall-isport u r-rikreazzjoni, u mhux kultura ta’ biża’. ADPD tawgura wkoll li ssir diskussjoni matura li tieħu kemm hemm bżonn u ma tkunx imxekkla minn skadenzi elettorali”
