Mario Saliba quoted George Grech as stating that “the issue of drug legalisation should be opened for discussion”. Now, if I recall, Dr Grech specifically referred to decriminalisation of drugs and not legalisation.

I totally agree with Dr Grech as decriminalisation of drug use/abuse/dependence (as opposed to trafficking of drugs and other serious offences related to drug use) would essentially mean that many of those young first-time users, experimenting with drugs, would be spared the stigma of a criminal record and possibly a prison experience where they could be further “groomed” in drug abuse. Instead, they would be routed to agencies such as Caritas, Sedqa and Oasi, where the framework is already in existence to help such persons to come out of the drug scene.

Far more input on the part of government would however be required to extend the existing services as well as to establish a well organised and supervised community service, in an effort to rehabilitate and educate such users.