High-Ranking Maltese Official Lays Out Early Proposals To Legalise Recreational Cannabis
Left to right: John Ellul and Graziella Calleja
2019’s just begun, but the government is already seriously moving ahead with discussions around legalising cannabis in Malta, with clear parameters that will influence the first draft of any bill that is proposed.
This morning, on the early morning discussion show TVAM, a high-ranking government official and a representative of ReLeaf talked age limits, combatting the black market, and giving equal access to Maltese cannabis users in the near future as the country begins seriously mulling over the legalisation of cannabis for personal use in Malta.
John Ellul, the Chairman for the Open Debate on Cannabis Legalisation, and Graziella Calleja, ReLeaf co-founder, seemed to agree on most issues
Ellul, who is spearheading policy under Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms Julia Farrugia Portelli, indicated that the government was interested in moving forward with its harm-reduction policy of legalisation for personal use in Malta.
Though there had been some disagreement last week over a proposed registry for Maltese cannabis users, this morning’s discussion showed that ReLeaf and the government were on the same page for the majority of issues.
Both agreed on access being limited to adults over the age of 21, and the importance of an “honest” educational campaign aimed at Malta’s youths.
However, Calleja made it clear that this was an issue that needed to be tackled sooner rather than later.
“We need to be realistic and stop accepting the fact that just because cannabis is illegal, it isn’t present in society,” she said.
When asked by TVAM host Quinton Scerri whether legalising cannabis was an example of “if you can’t beat them, join them,” she responded by saying that “it was the opposite – by legalising, we would be giving a major blow to the black market, hurting it and minimising it.”
John Ellul, who has been meeting with key stakeholders over the last year, said that they had found two major insights through their research.
“Firstly, there is a severe lack of information on what cannabis is, and secondly, there is a fear stemming from this lack of information,” he said. “We need to remember that cannabis is used by the entire spectrum of society, from professors onwards.”
John Ellul, the Chairman for the Open Debate on Cannabis Legalisation
“We call cannabis a drug, but at the end of the day it’s a substance like many others” – John Ellul
Ellul said that 2019 would see a major educational drive, stressing that the government was focused on a harm-reduction model, and wanted to inform Maltese youths so they could know how to refuse not just cannabis, but also other substances like alcohol.
“This year is a big year, with a big educational drive to give our children coping skills so they will be able to say no to not just cannabis, but also alcohol and other substances. The government wants to delay the onset of use, and postpone the use of these substances.”
“The government is doing this responsibly, and addressing the issues at the core, and we need a society with an understanding of the substance to get there,” he said.
He made it clear that he believed education and information were key if legalisation was to work.
Graziella Calleja, ReLeaf Co-Founder
“If you are making a mature decision to use cannabis, you have a right to know what you are using” – John Ellul
Both Calleja and Ellul agreed that cannabis bought from the streets was more likely than not to be tampered with, with everything from added substances like glass to adverse chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals sprayed onto the flowers.
“When you are buying cannabis from the street, you are playing Russian Roulette – there could be all the dirt in the world in it,” Ellul said.
As such, Ellul called for a regulated system that was accountable, could be overseen, and gave users an “element of protection from criminals”.
“When you buy from a trafficker, you gives you what he wants and he’s gone, he doesn’t care, unlike someone behind a counter in a regulated setting,” he said.
Ellul noted some parameters that legalisation would fall under
Users would be prohibited from using cannabis in public places, and companies would not be allowed to advertise publicly either. Ellul noted how Malta’s program was being guided by advice from both local and international experts.
At the end of the program, Calleja was asked what ReLeaf saw as the “ultimate level of legalisation that we can aspire for” in Malta.
“We need to remove synthetic from society, have a regulated free market, and allow Maltese people to feel safe that they aren’t being given a substance that is hurting them.”
Do you think Malta is ready for legalisation? Let us know in the comments below
READ NEXT: You’ll Need To Register With The Government If You Want To Access Recreational Weed In Malta
