د . إAEDSRر . س

Cannabis Lobby Group Calls For Caritas Audit After Director Warns Law ‘Made It Harder For Weed Users To Hit Rock Bottom’

Article Featured Image

Cannabis lobby group Releaf has urged the government to carry out an audit on Caritas Malta after the director of the Church-run NGO warned it has become harder for “dependent users to hit rock bottom” since Malta partially legalised the plant last year.

“Flash news. Caritas Malta wants you to hit rock bottom instead of providing educational outreach and empathy for people experiencing problematic substance use,” Releaf said.

In a recent interview with The Malta Independent, Caritas director Anthony Gatt warned the new law has made it harder for cannabis-dependent users “to realise the repercussions it causes and reach out for help, as their defence now is that there is nothing wrong with it because it is legal”.

“It has become increasingly difficult for dependent users to hit rock bottom, as legal consequences have been alleviated,” Gatt said.

“The mentality, which had begun to change since the 2015 decriminalisation of the substance, is continuing to change, and so the attitude has shifted to being in favour of cannabis.”

He also claimed that children are being exposed to cannabis, even though the law prohibits anyone from smoking it in front of minors.

Releaf said Gatt’s comments “expose the dangerous reality” of a NGO that provides drug rehabilitation therapy while also apparently “wanting the law to expose people to health harms and other legal risks”.

This is an outright denial of harm reduction practices and a direct affront to the core principles of a humane drug policy reform,” it said.

“Caritas has just confirmed that a human rights based approach, therefore prioritising the well being of cannabis users has never been on their political agenda.”

The lobby group quoted an article by columnist Raphael Vassallo, which argued that groups like Caritas may have a vested financial interest in rehabilitating drug users who don’t actually need their services. 

“[The article] explains perfectly well the core agenda of these organisations,” Releaf said.

“It is very sickening to learn that those which should be protecting and helping people in distress, want them to hit rock bottom.”

The lobby group went a step further, urging the government to investigate the internal operations of Caritas and similar NGOs, including an audit of the public funds they receive. 

Has there ever been national auditing on the type of therapy used? And if this is in line with European, WHO and UN standards?” They asked. 

“Has Caritas been ‘labelling people as dependent’ only because they consume a substance which they oppose? 

“Can Caritas provide information on the repercussions such an approach had on Maltese society for the past 20 years?”

Can this organisation for once dialogue with people who use cannabis, instead of pushing them into a pit of doom, only to scoop them back up with forced therapy?”

Cover photo: Left: Releaf president Andrew Bonello, Right: Caritas director Anthony Gatt

Do you agree with Malta’s decision to partially legalise cannabis for personal use? 

READ NEXT: Watch: New PL MP Warns Banks Causing Suffering To Regular Citizens Due To Excessive Regulation 

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

You may also love

View All