1 comment.Cannabis: Legalisation will lead to increase in consumption – Doctors
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The Association of Private Family Doctors (APFD) said on Thursday evening said that it supports other organisations that have already issued a position statement on the legalisation of the responsible use of cannabis.
In its position statement on the White Paper issued by the Government on the use of Cannabis, the Association said that while it recognises the need for decriminalisation of the possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use, it is however felt that legalising its use “will lead to an increase in its overall consumption and a potential increase in use of other illicit drugs.”
The Association stressed the fact that the “use of cannabis in young brains has more harmful effects, where also the risk of dependence and move towards harder illicit drugs is more likely.”
“Therefore, as an Association, we propose a minimum age for legalising the use of cannabis,” it said. “Cultivation of cannabis plants in homes will inevitably make cannabis more accessible to minors. We need to shield our younger generation from this risk.”
“If we really wish to limit the use of this drug, APFD suggests increasing educational campaigns targeted at the vulnerable age group,” it said. “This is in the interest of better mental and physical health of our younger generations and the community overall. It must be stressed that cannabis use can have harmful effects in spite of being natural.”
The APFD went on to say that it is hoped that public campaigns aiming at destigmatisation by society of cannabis users leads to better reporting of undesirable effects from individual users and encouraging seeking help for such effects earlier.
The Association concluded by saying that it would like to “propose continued investment in our effective rehabilitation, support and community outreach services for users. Continued support is the key.”
The Association of Private Family Doctors is a Voluntary Organisation that “strives to improve family medicine and primary health care in our country on behalf of the private family doctors (known as “it-tobba tal-familja” or “general practitioners”) and their patients.”
Very sad how backward this country still is. The same worries (expected rise in consumption, gateway to hard drugs, increased crime, etc.) were voiced in the Netherlands, Canada, Washington state and Colorado in the 1990s and have proven completely unfounded. I speak from long personal experience as addiction and homeless guidance worker in the Netherlands.
The moment it was no longer forbidden, the great majority of teenagers lost interest in spending their limited pocket money on the now utterly unimpressive act of smoking joints.
A great majority of users in Amsterdam are tourists from Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, who are also the main source of public nuisance because of their boisterous behaviour due to their belief they are doing something very cool and macho. The few locals who partake do this as a private moment of relaxation and stress-relief after along working week, often at home or at a non-tourist establishment. For these reasons, the city of Amsterdam decided quite recently (pre-covid) to close coffeeshops to tourists and only allow them to serve locals.
Country-wide, by far the largest group of users is that of elderly who ran out of medical pain-relief options. Especially MS and cancer patients have exclaimed the benefits of this natural pain killer over the liver/stomach/kidney-destroying chemical cocktails forced on people by GPs with endorsement contracts from big pharmaceutical companies.
By legalising it, the government can control the quality (growing environment, plus level of THC and other constituents) and even raise some tax from it. It also disconnects it from the hard drugs trade.
All this guarantees a safer product and takes income away from criminal organisations, so a double win. Important is to regulate the supplier side of this, which is being discussed on Malta but will probably end up with some corrupt ‘connected’ people.
The physiological and psychological effects of alcohol, and thereby the economic and moral costs to society, are much worse and alcohol could/should reasonably be classed a hard drug. People do not become aggressive or reckless from smoking a joint, at most somewhat drowsy and whimsical.
In all fairness, the one thing which needs to be watched is the possible link between THC and triggering latent schizophrenia. Again, this can be kept in hand by limiting the THC level (regulated supply) and disconnect the trade from hard drugs. Dedicated sellers should not be allowed to sell alcohol at the same premises as cannabis.