Cannabis found on 17-year-old

Peter Todd

Nov 17th 2008, 18:16

@Ray Gatt yes I have kids and no I don't make money from it, well I don't smoke it anymore. My dad also smoked it and strange enough I turned out alright, well I am self employed and happily married if that means anything.

"taxing drug abuse is not an option, no matter how much it makes for the nation's coffers" errr so the Govt. doesn't tax alcohol?

Peter Todd

Nov 17th 2008, 18:06

Anyone that thinks cannabis is more dangerous than alcohol simply has their head in the sand. http://tinyurl.com/yrnjar & http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/ whether one is illegal and the other isn't is irrelevant. The simple FACT is alcohol cause more deaths, family breakups and violent crimes than cannabis.

"Cannabis IS a gateway drug for other ILLEGAL drugs", *sigh*.

"Marijuana is not a “gateway” drug that predicts or eventually leads to substance abuse, suggests a 12-year University of Pittsburgh study. "

"Cannabis use does not lead to experimentation with harder drugs, researchers say"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2538065.stm

"Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs"
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

There are lots more documented studies if you care to do a bit of research.

"safer than Britain for sure"
yes because of the booze culture in the UK, in my 2 years in the UK the only time I felt unsave was when there were lots of drunks out, FACT cannabis users are placid.

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone anyone under 18 smoking cannabis and like every drug it has its downsides but unlike harder drugs i.e alcohol it doesn't cause violence or death. Oh and I don't smoke the stuff.

Mrs PRESTON

G. fenech

Nov 17th 2008, 15:49

Ray Gatt

Common, you can't point your finger and accuse someone just because he knows the lingo!!! Otherwise we're back in the dark ages burning witches and heretics! We might as well ban all bad words and give people permission to shoot on site when they are uttered!

And I happen to know Lawyers, Doctors, IT Professionals, Architects, Businessmen/women, and many other people with happy families that all make use of cannabis.

Like everything else, if done moderately, i believe its ok. And please prove me wrong .... but too much alcohol is much much worse than smoking too much cannabis!

However, yes it is illegal in this country, and yes, you can get jailed for having a crumb in a cigarette packet. Other European countries overlook such small amounts and just look for the big fish.... but we know we can never compare Malta with other European countries..... that would just be unrealistic now wouldn't it?!

Ray Gatt

Nov 17th 2008, 14:47

@ Robert Smith - You seem to know a lot. Maybe you should enlighten the authorities on any dealers you know. Quote: 'I know there are some bad effects from smoking too much cannabis but this would be much easier to control if it were legal'. unquote. Who is going to control how much one uses? Cannabis is addictive just like cigarettes and alcohol. I agree with I. Galea that taxing drug abuse is not an option, no matter how much it makes for the nation's coffers. Besides, it would all come back out and probably more to rehabilitate the user.

@ R. Galea - Seems to know quite a lot too. SPLIFF - wow. He must be a user.

Do any of you who are in favour of legalising cannabis and taking the mickey out of the AFM have kids or are you maybe making a buck out of it??? Interesting!!!

D.Tracy

Nov 17th 2008, 11:15

Wake Up Malta!

It's time to legalize!

ANTHEA PRESTON

Nov 17th 2008, 08:17

I holiday in Malta twice a year - I love your country and the people more. This summer my 21yr old daughter met a young Maltese man and spent time in his company few evenings out of our stay. She was worse for wear on one of them, not through alcohol but cannabis!!! This young man supplied it and is a regular user. Of course. she had a choice, I do not blame him for giving it to her. Cannabis IS a gateway drug for other ILLEGAL drugs. Alcohol abusers tend to stick to alcohol. Alcohol is the LEGAL drug, the one that every government and society believe is acceptable purely because it is LEGAL!!! Society's favourite drug is alcohol but do not underestimate the damage caused by heavy and prolonged cannabis use. Cannabis users display the same behaviour traits as any other addict and the paranoia and psychosis problems associated with its use are well documented. One of the best things about Malta is that your society is still far friendlier and safer than Britain for sure. If anything step up your checks - check out the bars on Gozo alone of an evening!!!!

Mr Todd

Joseph Schembri

Nov 16th 2008, 10:36

The legality of such searches should be challenged. If I remember correctly a member of AD some years ago said that he'd contest such invasion of privacy. I am all for a smaller state and more personal liberties (where they do not impinge on the liberties of others).

As far as I know one can refuse permission for such a search in the USA.

Giancarlo Refalo

Nov 15th 2008, 23:03

@ Robert Smith...

oooooohhhh now that's going to cause some raised eyebrows in pious catholic saintly Malta. I don't know about legalising or demonising the stuff, but I do know that MANY more people smoke it than the authorities would like to admit. I'd love to see the result of a surprise spot check on ALL university and 6th Form students. That would be a laugh. I'd like to see "B" company detaining all the ones caught with traces of cannabis or with actual quantities on their person. Not to say that the AFM aren't good at what they do. They do their job and they do it well. But nowadays so many people are doing it that its become hard to put cannabis users in a single box. they come from all walks of society and the majority are anything but criminals. No real point or conclusion can be drawn from this comment. No solution that I can see. but I do believe that if cannabis is illegal then so should alcohol and cigarettes be. I agree with Robert Smith there.

lgalea

Nov 15th 2008, 22:42

Robert Smith
Cannabis and any drug should remain illegal. Making money from drug taxes simply makes the Government a drug peddler.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Nov 15th 2008, 20:52

What is the world coming too! a 17 year old caught with a joint!!!!!!

Call out the army....The country is in danger...

Peter Todd

Nov 15th 2008, 20:21

"Decriminalisation of dope, of whatever kind, is the the precursor to tolerance of bigger evils and habits." ... the "gateway drug" is the more deadly and addicting drug called alcohol, even though you "drug addicts" don't like to admit it. I have met plenty of teachers, lawyers, businessmen and even police (not in Malta) that only smoke cannabis to relax after a hard days work and like most cannibis users don't do "harder drugs".

Like some of the previous posters said, what a waste of resources. Why have I never been pulled over on the coast road on a Friday or Saturday night and Breathalysed?

Robert Smith

Nov 15th 2008, 20:12

@ Joseph Schembri, cannabis is not like other drugs including alcohol. The effect can be minimal if it is smoked sensibly, less than alcohol. I know there are some bad effects from smoking to much cannabis but this would be much easier to control if it were legal. Every cannabis smoker knows where to buy smoke from and can do so at any time of the day. As it is legal people have to do buy it of drug dealers and as cannabis is imported the money is likely to be taken out of the country. It would be more sensible for it to be legal and controlled, and set up clinics to help people who smoke to much. It would also generate an increase tourism and jobs for the economy at such hard times. Cannabis could also be taxed generating even more money for the country. It would also mean the army and police force didnt need to waste there time on something so petty, but 17 is a bit to young to smoke.

Charles Sammut

Nov 15th 2008, 20:02

I have serious doubts about the legality of such searches. What will it be next, house to house searches kicking in doors Iraq style?

Joseph Sammut

Nov 15th 2008, 19:43

For want of better things to say, maybe the parents of that kid ought to check out with who their son is hanging out with or where he's killing his free time, if that's indicative of any decent parenting skills!

That AFM soldiers' vehicle checkpoints reap anything is already far more positive than the joke checks performed by some district police, as mobile squad studs have started showing their teeth.

Hadn't it been (once again!) for the AFM to prop up the Police corps with their entrusted law-enforcement duties, maybe more people would be doing drugs openly, right behind your correspondents doorstep.

Decriminalisation of dope, of whatever kind, is the the precursor to tolerance of bigger evils and habits. Am not evading crime displacement underground, but deterrents are better than nothing at all.

One wonders what they'd rather have the AFM do otherwise: carry on minding the illegal immigrants, perform static security jobs, or save lives at sea?

The newsworthiness of any item published remains the privilege and prerogative of the editor. Such keyboard warriors, or flower-power air-head opinionists cannot gauge this and what goes binned by newsrooms and webmasters. Thanks AFM, anyways!

Joseph Schembri

Nov 15th 2008, 19:11

It is newsworthy in more sense than one. First it tells us that the army are on the lookout for illegal substances and that they are doing it in Qormi. Second it reminds us that they do not take kindly to almost harmless stuff. Third, that a small amount (how much can one put in a cigarette packet?) is considered serious enough to call in the police.

But more importantly I like the idea that the Times publishes this story, thus warning other potential wrongdoers, without mentioning the name of the alleged 'criminal'. I know that it is the custom not to mention names before a person is arraigned and also that names of minors are usually banned from publication but this should be the norm for any alleged crime, not the exception.

R Galea

Nov 15th 2008, 18:53

AFM found a bit of smoke to roll a spliff on a 17 year old.......... have they got nothing better to do. Well done soldiers of "B" company what an achievement congrats boys you make us sooooo proud......!!!

NEVILLE DEBATTISTA

Nov 15th 2008, 17:49

So far so good. How about the big fish however?

joe agius

Nov 15th 2008, 17:45

Just a PR exercise to let us know or rather remind us that the AFM still exists.

M. Costa

Nov 15th 2008, 16:43

How can this possibly be newsworthy? What hogwash!

Raphael Vassallo

Nov 15th 2008, 16:00

@Bertu

Yep. End of the world is nigh...

Bertu Cilia

Nov 15th 2008, 14:51

what a calamity!

Eric Soames

Nov 15th 2008, 14:20

I thought the only way they could detain a minor would be if they called his parents to the spot.