‘We Are Not Experts In Odour’: Police Commissioner On New Cannabis Policy
Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà implied that the new cannabis odour law is hard to enforce.
Speaking on TVM’s Xtra yesterday, Gafà said that officers may struggle to identify different smells and that the Authority for Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) will take the lead.
“It’s a very difficult role because the police are not experts in odour… I, for one, am not capable at determining whether a particular smell is cannabis, a cigar, or a vape,” Gafa said.
The Maltese parliament unanimously approved several new cannabis legislations last week – one of them being the imposition of a €235 fine on cannabis smokers if the odour bothers others.
It will be up to cannabis users to ensure that the smells don’t bother any third parties when they smoke at home.
Gafa reiterated his message to legislators which is to enact laws that can be effectively enforced.
He added that the Malta Police Force penned and presented a draft legislation on the introduction of roadside drug testing to Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri.
Malta legalised the use of recreational cannabis in 2021. It’s only allowed in the privacy of the user’s home with smoking in public causing a fine of €235.
However, this legislation has tightened the law substantially by targeting cannabis users who may have neighbours who dislike the smell.
What do you think about this law?