Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that the proposed arrest referral system on drugs is a pre-electoral gimmick characterised by populism and moral panic rather than sensible policy. AD reiterated its call for the decriminalization of drugs for personal use.

 Angele Deguara, AD Spokesperson on Social Policy and Civil Rights, said: “We are sceptical about the proposed Arrest Referral System since we believe it is just an electoral gimmick and will not bring about any effective changes in the way the legal system deals with the drug problem and with drug users.  AD believes that there cannot be one policy which fits all since drug use and abuse is a complex phenomenenon and we cannot lump together all drug users as criminals, victims or traffickers. We believe that there should be a classification between soft and hard drugs depending on their psychological, physical and social effects.  Furthermore one should make a difference between cultivation of marijuana for personal use and cultivation for trafficking and between sharing and trafficking of drugs.  There should also be a rethinking of the policy whereby the Attorney General’s office arbitrarily decides whether drug-related cases should be dealt with by the magistrates’ courts or by a criminal court presided by a judge, with significant consequences in the sentences meted out even in not very different cases”.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: “Unfortunately, moral panic and populism have taken over in drugs policy, where all drug users are seen as criminals or in need of therapy. While AD commends help given by the state to drug addicts with serious problems, AD also asserts that other drug users such as users of soft drugs for recreational purposes should not be portrayed in this way. Decriminalization of drugs for personal use will ensure that drug users and drug victims do not end up treated as criminals”.