Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party had welcomed the appeal of President George Abela and Caritas for the reconsidering of drug legislation in order that drug uses are helped rather then sent to jail. AD reiterated its position today for classification and decriminalisation (not legalisation) of personal drug use.

Angele Deguara, AD Spokesperson for Social Policy, said that “it was encouraging to hear that President George Abela and Caritas have also endorsed the appeal to reconsider our drug laws and to treat people who fall victim to drugs as people who need help and not as criminals. AD believes that in such cases, it would be more beneficial both to the victim as well as to society for these people to be given support and rehabilitated rather than being sent to prison where their drug problem might get worse. We have to make a distinction between drug dealers who are the real criminals and their victims.”

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said that “it is a known fact that the imprisonment of drug victims is only aggravating problems for themselves and their loved ones. Unfortunately both the Nationalist and Labour Parties prefer resorting to populist rhetoric and cheap scaremongering, rather than calling a spade a spade and proposing constructive measures to avoid the criminalisation of drug victims.”

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