ReLeaf has participated in the President’s round table on the non-medical use of cannabis held earlier this month.

ReLeaf Malta was formed last year and is a community-based pressure group that “demands change in national cannabis policy.”

During the discussions, ReLeaf said that it reiterated its views that the use of cannabis is popular in Malta and that is why adequate legislation and regulation is needed.

“Only through a solid legislative framework can Malta ensure that young people do not have access to cannabis and adult cannabis users are protected against the negative effects of the illegal market,” it said.

ReLeaf also highlighted how presently adult cannabis users are still being persecuted by the police and when apprehended can be detained for up to 48 hours. It also pointed out that the illegal market continues to have monopoly on the price, quantity and quality of the cannabis plant.

The quality of cannabis is directly linked to the well being of the individual and ReLeaf expressed concern that the current system is continuing to place users at risk of contaminated or bad quality cannabis.

The NGO also called for a better framework to legalise and regulate cannabis, whilst ensuring that cannabis is not used by young people under the age of 21.

ReLeaf went on to say that it categorically opposed the “invasive practice of testing school children for the presence of cannabis. Similar proposals raise huge human rights issues and negatively impinge on the rights of the child,” it said.

ReLeaf said that whilst recognising that the collection of data on use is important, “similar testing practices continue to create confusion between use and abuse and do not form part of harm reduction policies.”

“In fact, they continue to promote ideas linked with the criminalisation and persecution of users,” it said.

ReLeaf continued, “there are better educational and psychosocial tools to address cannabis use by youths” and called on members present to promote an “inter-disciplinary approach based on preventive educational and health tools.”

ReLeaf concluded by saying that it is confident that increased dialogue on the matter of cannabis is imperative to properly assess the present situation and to develop policy which is based on justice, human rights and a safe environment for the adult use of good quality cannabis.

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