The cannabis activist group ReLeaf today criticised the position against the legalisation of recreational cannabis by the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM).
Following the legalisation of cannabis for medical use earlier this year, various stakeholders were invited to discuss the government's plans on the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes with Julia Farrugia Portelli MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and Simplification of Administrative Processes.
In their counter statement, ReLeaf said the primary proposals they bring forward in terms of personal use for adults aged 21 and over are – Firstly, the allowance for individuals to grow up to 6 marijuana plants per person in every household, with 4 mature, flowering plants as the maximum amount being allowed and a total of 12 (unless special permission is provided due to medical reasons). The growing must also take place in a locked, concealed environment, and cannabis grown in a household cannot be sold.
Secondly, individuals being legally able to possess up to a maximum of 30g of cannabis on their person, and, thirdly, individuals be able to purchase 5g of cannabis per establishment visited (establishments being licensed vendors only).
They cite the "proven failure" of the war on drugs as having "caused more problems than it solved and ultimately continues to put users in unnecessary danger".
ReLeaf cites rates of incarceration in countries such as Russia, where "63% of offences were drug-related". "In Poland, cannabis would likely result in 1-5 years prison time, continuing that cases which involve cannabis make up almost half of all drug cases put together."
ReLeaf argue that legalisation of cannabis for personal use would actually lead to a number of opposing scenarios which, they believe, ought to be considered.
Healthier ways of consuming cannabis such as vaporisers, or even edibles, which would lead to cleaner consumption; a strong educational campaign with a genuine and realistic approach which would lead to more education and knowledge on the subject, which would seem to go hand in hand with starting the possibility of much needed research on the unclear links between cannabis use and mental health conditions such as schizophrenia.
They also suggest the need to divert more resources to treating addiction as an underlying problem rather than cannabis as the root problem, this because the "contemporary research suggests that addiction to dependence on a substance or any other possible addictive activity is based in some form of painful experience that is not being dealt with sufficiently".
"This is especially relevant when one considers how cannabis is proven to be one of the least physically addictive, psychoactive, consumable plant-based substances that are in common use across the world".
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2OtG06y
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