Drugs decriminalisation
Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħa żagħ agrees with Sedqa clinical director George Grech’s call for discussing some form of decriminalisation of drug use, meaning considering addicts as patients who need specialised help.
The attitude of the government is extremely irresponsible. Drug addiction is on the increase and so is availability. Yet, while many drug users get busted frequently and end up serving prison sentences, most drug traffickers (whom Dr Grech rightly calls “a different kettle of fish”) rarely make it to the law courts.
Ironically, while the Maltese government takes a puritan approach towards the possibility of decriminalisation, it considers the equally devastating addiction of gambling as an investment.
We cannot keep burying our heads in the sand any longer. The drugs are not coming. They are here and an increase in drug dependence is an inconvenient reality. Rather than avoiding ruffling feathers, it is imperative that the government starts giving more weight to the experts and, above all, starts gathering the point of view of all stakeholders on this urgent issue.