There may be “nothing wrong with taking a joint every now and then” for Malta’s junior minister for reforms Julia Farrugia Portelli, but hundreds of people are still finding themselves in front of a tribunal or court for simple possession.

In fact, since the Drug Dependency Act came into force, 2,710 people have been charged with simple possession. That’s roughly two people every day, for the last four years.

The figure, however, masks another issue with Malta’s handling of cannabis possession as legal sources explained. With hundreds of people still going in front of the courts.

The most recent figures found that there are over 700 cases of simple possession in front of Malta’s courts each year.

Meanwhile, loopholes in the definition of personal use also see people charged with a trumped-up aggravated possession charge but to walk away guilty to a simple possession offence.

For example, if a person is caught with 10g of cannabis, which is a reasonable amount for any person “taking a joint now and then”, they still face aggravated possession charges.  In one case, 39g was even considered enough for personal use.

Legal experts also warned that Farrugia Portelli’s statement could open up issues within the courts. Back in 2009, 250 grammes was considered as personal use for a heavy cannabis smoker.

“If a person gets caught with 100 grammes, all they would need to do is call on Farrugia Portelli to come to the witness stand, and tell the magistrate that there’s nothing wrong with it,” one person said.

Recently, PN MP Jason Azzopardi even wrote on social media that the junior minister committed “heresy” by inviting people to break the law, adding that any person facing charges of simple possession should simply call on Farrugia Portelli to testify in their defence.

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