Decriminalise drugs for personal use - AD
Alternattiva Demokratika today appealed to the Nationalist and Labour parties to do away with drug populism and endorse its proposal for the decriminalisation of drugs for personal use.
It said this policy was successful in countries like Portugal and led to more safety and less crime.
Chairman Michael Briguglio said:
"Existing drug laws in Malta are out of synch with social trends. Legislation on alcohol and other drugs should be reformed so that people who are victims of drugs can be helped.
“This requires decriminalisation of drugs for personal use. Education remains a key tool for policies on drugs. People should be conscious of their various effects and, if they seek help, they should receive it.
“But criminalising people for making use of drugs has been a failure not only in terms of social policy but, even more so, with respect to those whose criminalisation has resulted in a spiral of hardships."
Spokesman Robert Callus said that drug laws in Malta, where someone who cultivated a couple of plants could get over a decade in prison, had to be radically reformed.
Anomalies in the law needed to be corrected.
Giving an example, he said, the cultivation of a plant in small quantities that clearly indicated only personal use should not be considered as the separate crime of cultivation which carried sentences to the equivalence of trafficking.
“If there's no intention to sell, it's personal use,” he said.
Mr Callus said that Malta also needed to start distinguishing between soft and hard drugs.
“Treating all drugs with the same brush is only an incentive for traffickers to import hard drugs, where the big money is.
“Drug policy should be based on research rather than on populism. It is by now abundantly clear that extremely harsh sentences for drug use are not a deterrent.”
He noted that countries, such as Portugal, that decriminalised the personal use of all drugs in 2001 did not see any significant rise in drug abuse.
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Kenneth Zammit
Oct 29th 2012, 10:35
Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds.
Mediocre minds are bred like mushrooms on this island.
R Zammit
Oct 28th 2012, 15:43
A very sensible proposal indeed, the state has no right to interfere in self-regarding acts. punto basta
Franco Farrugia
Oct 29th 2012, 08:23
It is NOT 'punto basta'. It is NOT merely a 'self-regarding act', as you put it. It involves the people you live with and that is why you will go to prison if it is proved that you are a drug-taker.
John Zammit Ph.D.
Oct 28th 2012, 13:27
Alleanza Liberali - www.malta-liberals.org has already included the decriminalization of cannabis in its 2009 June 6 European Parliament election manifesto and it is including it in the Malta generals elections manifesto also which part of it is already published on facebook under Alleanza Liberali.
Joe M Borg
Oct 28th 2012, 17:57
Hmmmm...Interesting! A L have ALREADY included..... Probably that's why nobody knows anything about A L!
Franco Farrugia
Oct 29th 2012, 08:22
@ Zammit: Yeah, and look where it has got you!
David Caruana
Oct 28th 2012, 11:38
The gross ignorance of some is sickening. Why can't people distinguish between condoning drug use and acknowledging that it is a problem and offering alternative solutions to it. AD are simply doing the latter. They are not saying that drug use is good. They are simply saying that we need to look at the problem and tackle it from a different perspective.Portugal did it and it gave positive results
Paul Smith
Oct 28th 2012, 09:16
Yet another subject Alex seems to think he knows everything about lol
Putting people in Prison for using and cultivating a few Cannabis plants is pointless, a huge waste of money and does not stop the tide of Cannabis use. Cannabis is less harmful than junk food - the Maltese have a special kind of fondness for junk food.
Ronnie Callus
Oct 28th 2012, 08:09
Sur.Brigulio dan kif se' tkun taf jekk hux ghal l-uzu personali tieghu. Sa' fejn naf jien min jilghab man -nar jinharaq jista u mhux mod iehor. Mela sew flok innaqqsu l-abbuz, nghalqu ghajnejna u inhallu kollox ghaddej. Mela flok niggieldu l-battalja ncedu. U min ikun rebah ! mhux huma. Tghaliem hawn bizzejjed,mela min jehodha, jehodha ghax irid hu u mhux mod iehor.Hekk iridu jisimu l-barunijiet .
Carmel Zammit
Oct 28th 2012, 08:04
AD performs best when the people at the helm shut their mouths.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 28th 2012, 06:54
Drug supply usually depends on corruption or illegal cooperation - that is why Malta (and all other countries) will never get rid of drugs.
The only answer I can foresee is the formulation and provision a synthetic, cheap, non addictive, equivalent, substitute available in shops like tobacco, then the addictive illegal stuff would be too expensive and the criminals would be out of the loop.
Mr Duncan Scerri
Oct 28th 2012, 11:01
"The only answer I can foresee is the decriminalisation of the natural, cheap, non addictive, plant called cannabis"
There, fixed that for ya.
Peter spiteri
Oct 28th 2012, 06:44
Veru li hemm bahar jaqsam bejn il-cannabis u l-eroina.Pero il-cannabis ghandha l-effeti negattivi ukoll specjalment fuq il-memorja.U hija 'addictive' ghax jekk xihadd imdorri jpejjipha jinqabad minghajra ikun nervuz sa ma jakkwista ftit.Fatt iehor: min spicca fuq il-LABRA, Cocaine u drogi qerrieda ohra hafna drabi ikun beda bil-haxixa.Dawn in-nies ghajnuna ibex jieqfu ghandhom bzonn.
Charles Muscat
Oct 28th 2012, 12:03
Naqbel 100%
E. Azzopardi
Oct 28th 2012, 01:55
Not a good suggestion. It will get worse. You are losing points. Stop this nonsense.
Why should one take drugs, whether soft or hard in the first place?
Mr Alfred Baldacchino
Oct 27th 2012, 23:51
Alfred Baldacchino - let them have drugs if they want them. But bar them from using free health services !
David Caruana
Oct 28th 2012, 11:35
Fair enough! I totally agree with you. I never use the public health service anyway, I prefer the private one and I've been insured for the last 10 years.
However, if there's no free healthcare for drug users, there shouldn't be either for cigarette smokers, alcohol consumers as these are drugs too, those who do not exercise regularly and those who eat junk food.
Tim Vella
Oct 28th 2012, 13:20
Junkfood eaters are also using free health services. They are the biggest financial problem on our health services... everybody knows this.
Should we bar them as well?
stephen mifsud
Oct 27th 2012, 23:15
ita about TIME too!!! great job AD for bringing this issue to the forefront ......Cannabis is SAFE!!!!
Malcolm Seychell
Oct 27th 2012, 22:20
I agree. Drug use should not carry any prison sentence. However if you attack old people, be violent etc etc you can never justify it in court that you did it because of drugs.
Drug yourself as much as you like as long you do not put other people's life at risk
Jimmy Ventura
Oct 27th 2012, 21:55
Bl-istess argument nistghu naghlqu l-habs. Il-ligi baqghet tinkiser allura l-habs qieghed ghalxejn. Mhux deterrent? Naturali hemm min ma tibdlu b'xejn imma hemm ukoll min jibza. Nistghu naghmlu wkoll li min jisraq biex jixtri d-droga ma jitqisx bhala rejat. Min ikun taht l-influwenza tad-droga ma jkollux kontrol ta ghemilu? Mhux hekk? Ghalhiex tridu tinkoragixxu d-droga. Isthu.
Natalie Mallett
Oct 27th 2012, 21:48
They may not have seen a rise in drug abuse but they have certainly seen a rise in unemplyment and their financial status is in ruins. Alternattiva Demokratika, I disagree with your populist view, trying to please all like Joseph Muscat. You should learn to call what is wrong by its name and not beat about the bush. I would much prefer it if you said you would ban cigarette smoking in public.
David Caruana
Oct 28th 2012, 11:31
'Populist'?!?! Haha!
Please, do google 'define:populist'
Enough said
M Cauchi
Oct 27th 2012, 21:37
Totally agree with AD. A real progressive party and all I m reading are the ancient scaremongerers trying to mix cannabis with harder drugs. The ultimate message is that one should have the FREEDOM to do what he likes without mummy or daddy telling us what to do. AD, you have my vote...and a new one!
Antonia Vella
Oct 27th 2012, 20:51
mhux nahseb li aktar izid l-abbuz u tgharraq aktar zghazagh maltin
Mr Bjorn Micallef
Oct 27th 2012, 20:32
Very strong positive ideas. Malta needs law reform especially in classification of drugs and personal use.
Alex Ellul
Oct 27th 2012, 20:27
To say that Portugal did not see any signifcant increase in drug use after decriminalising the personal use is highly misleading. The fact is that drug use in Portugal is so diffused among the population that it cannot statistically increase any further. It was already at a very high incidence. So, decriminalising was just a formality, relieving the police from their duty of arresting thousands
mirko van de donk
Oct 28th 2012, 07:55
and this way they helped the tax payer by having less jail and research costs
Ronnie Callus
Oct 28th 2012, 08:12
100% correct Alex. All what we achieve is that the vise squad police are relieved from their work and the drug pushers goes happy go lucky.
C Cassar
Oct 27th 2012, 19:22
No way. 'Soft' drugs aren't really soft. They kill:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1445718/Cannabis-use-causes-hundreds-of-deaths-a-year-coroner-warns.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-179264/Cannabis-kills-30-000-year.html
http://newsweekly.com.au/article.php?id=1356
Luke Lanzon
Oct 27th 2012, 20:06
If you want I can find links that MC Donalds kills people every year so should we ban MC Donalds,even our home made pastizzi have more potential to kill people than this plant. Also the links that you posted would be laughable, if it wasn't so sad. So much lies....
Chris Cappello
Oct 28th 2012, 00:09
It's back minded people like you why Malta is 100 years behind, those studies you mention are laughable to say the least, there is not 1 single recorded death from cannabis use in the whole wide world! EVER! not to mention that cannabis is being used to help people with cancer cope with there suffering...
Ronnie Callus
Oct 28th 2012, 08:19
@ Luke Lanzon.
Don't mix things Luke, even medicine sometimes can kill if one is allergic to it, but there is more Prons than Cons. Not as in the drug issue in which it has only negative results.
Robert Agius
Oct 28th 2012, 09:32
Breathing kills too...
Do you know that stress is the no. 1 biggest killer EVER. So, what are your suggestions C.Cassar?
John Azzopoardi
Oct 27th 2012, 19:04
Of course opinions can be shared, but unless the PL or PN introduce the law, not much can be done right. That is my whole point. UNless you start a petition to see how far it will get you in our little parlament. Maybe the Maltese should vote on this in a referendum. I think that it will make more sense.
Mr Christopher Xuereb
Oct 27th 2012, 18:58
I shall again give my first preference vote to AD come the next general election. I live in hope that one day we might, collectively, realise that in perpetuating the political duopoly we are only hurting ourselves.
Colin Attard
Oct 27th 2012, 18:32
I agree with AD on this one.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 27th 2012, 17:38
I agree with making a distinction between 'hard' and 'soft' drugs - there is a big difference between a drug dealer and a drug pusher, but most of the public is uniformed about drugs except alcohol.
S. Azzopardi
Oct 27th 2012, 17:21
AD have shown once again that they are copycats of what happens in other countries instead of coming out with some useful ideas for the Maltese society.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Oct 27th 2012, 16:47
@AD.
Many thanks for the warning.
Jimmy Ventura
Oct 27th 2012, 20:18
Naqbel mieghek Francis.
Jista' xi hadd jispjegali x'vantaggi hemm li ssir iddrogat legalizzat?
Darby Allen
Oct 27th 2012, 16:29
The very idea of decriminalization will be taboo to many, and few – if any – politicians will have the courage and foresight to accomplish it, and it will take a long time, perhaps decades, to rid ourselves of the scourge of drug-use, but decriminalizing use is the only way to foil the pushers, dealers, and drug barons who profit from society’s miseries.
Karl Mercieca
Oct 27th 2012, 17:52
Decriminalizing use won't really foil drug pushers. That is not the point of decriminalization.
Darby Allen
Oct 28th 2012, 10:36
So what is the point?
It is my experience as a former police officer that most young people who become drug users do so as a result of peer-pressure, or they think it “cool” because it is illegal. Decriminalizing drug use will mean that many of the youngsters will not be tempted or pressured in the first place.
Darby Allen
Oct 28th 2012, 11:40
Addicts should be placed on a register, ensuring that they can get get their drugs from a doctor, clinic, or pharmacy cheaply, or even for free. Availability of free or cheap drugs will cut crime because the drug-users will no longer to have to rob or steal to get their fixes. And the pushers and dealers will soon be out of business.
Ellen Pace
Oct 27th 2012, 16:13
To anyone still vehemently opposed to the idea of decriminalisation, perhaps you should consider doing some research on the global debate before weighing in on the matter?
If you feel so strongly about the matter, I would suggest the 'Global Commission on Drug Policy Report' as a start. It's available to read online, you don't have to pay, and it is available in several languages.
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:55
A prison inmate costs EUR50 each day to the tax payer.
What AD is proposing is that these resources should be redirected towards prevention/cure for users and towards the Police force to get the traffickers.
Jimmy Ventura
Oct 27th 2012, 20:18
U kemm iqum aktar biex tikkurah l-isptar?
Karl Consiglio
Oct 27th 2012, 15:45
AD deserve a chance in power. They're against hunting as well.
vella m
Oct 27th 2012, 16:40
@Karl Consiglio,
naqbel mieghek perfettament.
Joe M Borg
Oct 27th 2012, 19:01
I totally agree with you, Karl, but seeing how small AD are, they should start little by little. They should try their hand in running Filfla first, then, if the don't mess it up, we give them Cominotto. There are no drugs and hunting on those two! Keep on dreaming!
Franco Farrugia
Oct 27th 2012, 15:41
I think that this statement of AD is the final nail on its coffin as far as having a seat in parliament is concerned. And I say this very sadly: shame that it has to be so.
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 16:28
Errrm Franco, can you explain to us how sending a USER (not a trafficker) to jail or giving him a record can help him/her and the rest of society?
It is more than obvious that draconian sentences are not serving as a deterrent. So what are you suggesting? Shall we institute the death sentence for users instead? That would be an effective way to get rid of this scourge. Right?
Franco Attard Trevisan
Oct 27th 2012, 16:56
Sad indeed cos if what you are saying is true then ignorance is much more rampant than I used to think in this country!
Joe M Borg
Oct 27th 2012, 19:04
Fine David, so if sending them to prison does not help, will giving them more drugs help? Making drugs easier means making it easier to everyone to try!
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 19:50
Joe M Borg
Can you please explain how decriminalising PERSONAL USE of drugs will make it easier to get? We're talking about personal use here, NOT trafficking.
It seems you cannot make a distinction between the two.
Eugene Sapiano
Oct 27th 2012, 21:38
Lately we had a lecture about the abuse of substances by a representative of Sedqa, where we were told of the danger of even legal substances say a mixture of energy drink with vodka, smoking and binge drinking. Of course when it comes to drugs the danger is larger and the so called soft drugs are not soft at all.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 27th 2012, 23:34
@ Franco Attard Trev. - Respectfully I would ask you not to claim that I am ignorant because, as you well know, I am not quite light in cutting people to pieces when I am unable to suffer their wrong opinions. Best to leave it at that.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 27th 2012, 23:37
@ Mr Caruana: Sir, statistics show, and people working among drug-addicts will tell you, that wherever drug-taking was decriminalised, benefits that were predicted were actually not the reality. I.e., by decriminalising drugs, you will only be SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF SOCIETY AND THE STATE and in itself, that is wrong. You will be telling young people: it's ok to take drugs. Wrong.
David Caruana
Oct 28th 2012, 11:55
Mr.Farrugia :
"Ten years ago, Portugal decriminalized all drugs. One decade after this unprecedented experiment, drug abuse is down by half" - Forbes
"Decriminalising drug use could drastically reduce crime and improve health, the outgoing president of the Royal College of Physicians (Sir Ian Gilmore) has said." - BBC
Franco Farrugia
Oct 29th 2012, 08:20
@ David Caruana - You gave me two quotes. I will endeavour to study them at depth. In the meantime, you are quoting only ONE COUNTRY amongst many - Portugal. And you are quoting only ONE PERSON who says 'COULD', and by the BBC. 'COULD' does not carry with it any sure declaration. The contrary.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 29th 2012, 08:20
@ David Caruana - By the way, I could FILL you with quotations as well as statistics that prove the contrary to what yours do.
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:18
I remember people criticising AD for their pro-divorce stand since 1989 (yes, that's 22 years before it got actually introduced in Malta).
2011 - the pro-divorce lobby uses AD's proposals. The people vote YES.
I hope it won't take another 22 years until Malta realises that AD are right about decriminalisation.
anthony sultana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:12
If you make it legal nobody will smoke it , because there is no challenge,it will be boring,the only people that smoke it will be the sick people only, people with pain and terminal desease.Some tourist will try it also,they bring it over with them, which they are already doing.So why is the panic?
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:48
Please note that AD support DECRIMINALISATION OF PERSONAL USE of drugs but they do not support legalisation of neither personal use nor regulated sales of any drug.
Karl Mercieca
Oct 27th 2012, 16:02
I hope you are aware that decriminalization and legalization are not the same thing. Cannabis decriminalization policies advocate a reform on existing penalties relating to possession of certain amounts of Cannabis.
Legislation is an entirely different matter, and I think the legalization of Cannabis would be detrimental to society.
Victor Buhagiar
Oct 27th 2012, 16:07
If you make drugs for personal use legal, it will increase its use. This has been proved everywhere. http://www.drugfree.org/ This site is just one example. You do not seem to be living in a realistic world.
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 18:41
Victor,
No one is talking about legalisation here. AD are proposing decriminalisation which is totally different. I hope that you know the difference.
Besides, in Portugal, where person use of all drugs has been decriminalised since 2011, there was no increase in use but there was a drastic decrease in crime and drug-related fatalities.
Joe M Borg
Oct 27th 2012, 19:06
Anthony, smoking is not illegal, and I believe they don't find it boring, because wherever I go I get suffocated.
Mark Farrugia
Oct 27th 2012, 15:11
One must really think about what good is there out of the current system by which people are sent to jail for consuming drugs? What is society gaining by increasing the number of prison inmates and sending drug addicts to a closed place filled with other drug addicts?
Absolutely nothing.
John Vella
Oct 27th 2012, 15:00
Love it or hate it, whatever AD says Malta would follow 10 to 20 years later....... Maybe its a case of AD being ahead of their time.......Well done AD.
Antoine Ferrito
Oct 27th 2012, 16:34
Well said! AD have always been and will always be ahead of their time. That's why the two "big" parties do everything possible to keep them out of parliament (and from the media). It's about time that the voters really vote for the good of the country and not for the party that promises the most.
M Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 14:34
Well said!
'Prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could'
Peter Borg
Oct 27th 2012, 14:24
AD are spot on once again. They were the first ones to have the guts to pronounce themselves on the need to introduce divorce and today public opinion is in line with this. They are right about this too and have the courage to say so once again. Prosit !
Antoine Ferrito
Oct 27th 2012, 16:37
They were also the first to speak about recycling and pollution but back then they were ridiculed by the "big" parties whose only interest is money and votes. Today the environment is one of the biggest issues.
Stefan Micallef
Oct 27th 2012, 14:06
The benefits of such a policy would outweigh the negatives by large. Reality is that whoever wants to smoke marijuana, swallow ecstacy or do coke or even do smack will not be deterred to do so by the fact that it is illegal, this is due to the accessibility to such substances on our islands which has increased significantly. Not to mention the money saved which can instead by used on education
Joseph N. Attard
Oct 27th 2012, 14:02
Like any other political party, AD are naturally entitled to forward any proposal they wish. In a few weeks/months time, they will know exactly what proportion of the voting population supports their views. Going by past results, not very many.
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:14
Going by past results, the two major parties will be doing their utmost to copy AD in the very near future.
John Spiteri
Oct 27th 2012, 13:44
Amazing, how this party tries it's utmost not to have anyone elected, by making absurd statements!
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 14:48
I think it would be wiser for all of us to wait until the results are out for the coming election.
Then and only then you will be able to say if AD got anyone elected after their pro-decriminalisation stand.
Giorgio Greco
Oct 27th 2012, 15:11
Enlighten us Mr Spiteri as to how absurd the statements of AD are?
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:44
As absurd as proposing the introduction of divorce since 1989?
Today we all know who was absurd then.
As someone already said somewhere on these comments, the only problem with AD is that they are ahead of time.
Mr Andrew Grech
Oct 27th 2012, 13:40
to all those arguing that such a move will increase the number of drug users please consider that since we already have people who make use of such substances then there is availability, therefore their comment is void. For those worrying that we will end up a zombie state... well are we in such state now?
Cont...
David Mangion
Oct 27th 2012, 13:38
Drugs for personal use !?? Utter nonsense.
1-A drug consumer is bound to become a drug pusher sooner or later.
2-If drug consuming becomes legal, who is going to provide the supply ? Are you going to criminalize the supplier, for providing a legal provision ?
I HAVE BEEN AN AD VOTER SINCE ITS INCEPTION.(even when I was told that I would be wasting my vote)
But not this time!
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 14:46
AD is supporting DECRIMINALISATION and not LEGALISATION.
Read before you comment!
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:12
So you base your voting choices on falsehoods?
1. A drug user is as likely to become a drug pusher as a mechanic is likely to become a car.
2. For something like cannabis, a supplier will no longer be necessary. For other drugs, yes it is entirely possible to leave trafficking illegal but not personal use.
David Mangion
Oct 28th 2012, 08:17
Ramon,
1. "A drug user is as likely to become a drug pusher as a mechanic is likely to become a car."
I have your opinion up here, and I know a diametrically different opinion from Dun Victor Grech who has spent most of his lifetime working with drug addicts.
Which opinion do you think I am going to value most ?
Sorry, but not yours.
Matthew Grima
Oct 28th 2012, 18:00
Why should you value the word of a priest? What authority does he have on this?
You still persecute the dealer, but not the user. It will be easier on the tax payer, and also on the life of the user, as they will get help and not jail time, which makes most people worse.
G Falzon
Oct 27th 2012, 13:19
Decriminalise drugs for personal use. But can someone enlighten me about who will supply such drugs and how. Does not the final product always end up for personal use? How will these "decrimalised drugs" be supplied and obtained???
Robert Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 13:43
Well, that is a stupid question, considering that at the moment both using and dealing are illegal yet drugs are still readily available....
Francis Attard
Oct 27th 2012, 13:55
Like. Thumb up.
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:10
In the case of cannabis, it grows readily in the Mediterranean climate in a simple pot, so the users will supply their own - so they no longer need to approach a drug pusher for it.
G Falzon
Oct 27th 2012, 15:53
@Mr Robert Agius
Mine are two questions that you did not answer, if you you label them as "a stupid question".
Robert Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 17:07
How will these "decrimalised drugs" be supplied and obtained? in some cases, growing them or getting them from people who are selling them illegally. Hence, 'decriminalise not legalise'.
Does not the final product always end up for personal use? Yes, but if you have a few mobile phones but are caught with 500,000 at home, you can hardly claim 'personal use', can you?
Happy?
J Martinelli
Oct 27th 2012, 13:19
Decriminalizing drug use will be good for the aviation industry.
It will encourage our young men and women to become 'high fliers'!
Less laws, more usage, more usage, more expense to the taxpayer who will end up paying for rehab, methadone clinics, free needles and syringes, more DUIs and more loitering by users whose behaviour becomes more unpredictable.
Kenneth Williams
Oct 27th 2012, 14:06
It seems that you are an expert in all subjects especially when there is the need forr a shoulder to the government. Hope you keep on like this when there is a change.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Oct 27th 2012, 14:57
soft drugs and needles are miles apart genius!
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:08
Actually in every country that legalised or decriminalised drug use, costs have gone down and crime has gone down. Where light drugs were legalised, the use of heavy drugs went down substantially. In some cases it is initially counter-intuitive but the facts speak for themselves.
Mr Kevin Zammit
Oct 27th 2012, 13:14
Well done AD. This is a great political issue both parties are stuck on and you are in a position and can make a real difference on this and help a lot of people in the process.
John Azzopoardi
Oct 27th 2012, 13:05
AD is not in a position to make statements on this as they have never been elected to anything.
Chris Gatt
Oct 27th 2012, 13:19
Ah Mr Azzopardi's idea of democracy. You can't opine unless you have a seat. LOL!
Robert Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 13:26
What an insightful comment!
....not!
Toni Borg
Oct 27th 2012, 13:28
Wow, your comment just doesn't make sense. If you agree or disagree with their comments is one thing, but to say that they shouldn't be making statements is another. Just because they are a minority does not mean their voice doesn't count John...that is the whole reason why we vote, so that we (the minority) can have our voice (vote) heard.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Oct 27th 2012, 14:56
@ John Azzopardi
Go say that to the CHURCH my friend! At least AD are a political party!
anthony sultana
Oct 27th 2012, 12:55
Green party is for peace and tranquility, Prosit AD you have my full suport.
David Mangion
Oct 27th 2012, 13:46
Drug consumption is NOT equal to "peace and tranqullity"
Drug consumption is EQUAL to "numbness through disillutionment".
AD has failed under Michael Briguglio ! He has to realize that the swingin' 60's are a thing of the past.
Stop being romantic and start to be realistic.
The left can only exist, if it functions in harmony and balance with the ideals of the centre-right.
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:06
@David Mangion: If you call cannabis a drug, then so are chocolate, coffee, tobacco and alcohol.
Lucienne Dimech
Oct 27th 2012, 12:48
It's the pushers who should be punished the users a mere victims of those who make money by taking other people's lives
Giorgio Greco
Oct 27th 2012, 12:46
A good proposal from AD. Could very well deserve a seat in parliament.
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 12:43
Well said AD. As things stand, the most harmful thing about soft drugs is the law itself.
Charles Cachia
Oct 27th 2012, 12:41
Sewwa hekk, ghax il-ligi mhux ikollha flus mehtiega mill-gvern biex tikkontrolla, naghmlu il-hazin legali ghax mhux qieghdin inlahqu ma dan il-hazin.
U xi nghidu ghal dawk li wara xi naqra 'personal drug use', johorgu isuqu karrozza u joqtlu lil xi mahbub jew mahbuba?. Hadd ma jista jikkonvincini li inti tkun mija fil mija sewwa wara li tiehu id-drogi.
Charles Cachia
Mr Kevin Zammit
Oct 27th 2012, 13:08
nahseb trid tghid li l puluzijja ghandom bzonn aktar fondi biex jikkontrollaw il bejgh. L amerikani aggressivi kontra l importazjoni. Rizultat: il prezz tad droga ghola aktar sa kemm spiccaw kapaci jibnu submarine biex idahlu d droga. Ma tistax tikkompeti ghax aktar kemm tkun ahrax aktar jghola l prezz ... anzi jiehdu gost bik! Min jabbuza jghamel min kollox anke jisraq.
Mr Kevin Zammit
Oct 27th 2012, 13:11
dwar it tieni punt tieghek kif taf specjalment hawn kullhadd jixrob aktar min zewgt tazzi nbid u johrog isuq ... kont taf li aktar min zewgt tazzi daqs li kieku pejjipt il marijuana? Aktar min tlieta bniedem hu min hu jsir perikoluz.
Mela sewwa qiedin jghid l AD ... eduka min jixtri mhux titfaw il habs u tiprova teqred il bejjiegh ghax bejjiegha tehles min wiehed u jinbtu erba.
Chris Gatt
Oct 27th 2012, 13:14
Perhaps Mr Cachia will take time to look at the literature before shooting at the hip.David Nutt was Drug Czar for the UK government before they dismissed him for 'controversial' views based on scientific fact! http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/03/david-nutt-drugs-policy
Chris Gatt
Oct 27th 2012, 13:16
U xi nghidu ghal dawk li wara xi naqra 'personal drug use', johorgu isuqu karrozza u joqtlu lil xi mahbub jew mahbuba?
Is Mr Cachia suggesting we now ban alcohol based on the above statement?
anthony sultana
Oct 27th 2012, 13:19
Jekk issuq fis sakra quwa kontra l-ligi, hekk wkoll ikun jekk issuq wara xi smoke.In- nies edukazjoni ghanda bzon mhux terturi, ghandna bizzejjed min omna nnatura.
Robert Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 13:33
Xi nejdu al dawk li johorgu isuqu - 1) gas mal-pjanca ax keshin 2) dawk li jahbtu u imutu minhabba toroq disatru 3) dawk li isuqu xurbana
Toqod tejd, dawk li suppost jiehdu hsieb no2 jehilsuha hafif....anzi, jiehdu bonus ukol.
'Hadd ma jista jikkonvincini li inti tkun mija fil mija sewwa wara li tiehu id-drogi.' What drugs are you on then?
Ramon Casha
Oct 27th 2012, 15:05
Ħadd m'għandu jsuq wara li juża drogi anke ħfief, bl-istess mod li m'għandhomx isuqu wara li jixorbu - imma dan ma jfissirx li l-użu personali tal-alkoħol għandu jkun reat kriminali.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Oct 27th 2012, 12:38
It's such a pity that the only party with a decent civilized view on drug related policies is the least popular one!! Well done AD
Joe Sultana
Oct 27th 2012, 13:07
Who's going to pay when personal use developes into addiction with its consequences??
Chris Gatt
Oct 27th 2012, 13:19
@Joe Sultana. Whatever the amount that would have to be paid it would be considerably less ( in money and lives) then the current situation There are currently 20 under aged boys who are in prison for drug 'trafficking' .Some of them have been waiting for years to have their day in court. Most are foreigners. How is that helping anyone?
Robert Agius
Oct 27th 2012, 13:36
Joe Sultana, and who is stopping that now? Actually, you will have more resources focused on more important priorities. Not to mention the better chances of not getting addicted to heavy drugs in prison....
Chistos Tsouras
Oct 27th 2012, 14:03
@ Joe Sultana: Who's gonna pay if they spend 10 years in jail? Who's gonna pay if during that time they will turn to harder drugs, become addicted, or turn into real criminals? Decriminalizing use doesnt mean legalizing drugs. It tries to address a chronic problem. People with addictions are treated in specialized units, and certainly not in jail. Throwing them behind bars makes matter worse
Franco Attard Trevisan
Oct 27th 2012, 14:54
@ Joe Sultana
do some research before you speak...
Joe Sultana
Oct 27th 2012, 15:34
It's funny. Four comments and none answered a simple question.
David Caruana
Oct 27th 2012, 16:24
@ Joe Sultana: You are already paying! EUR50 each day on every prisoner + all the salaries for police officers, judges, magistrates, prison warders, etc that are involved with the current system. Personal use and addiction are two different scenarios and one does not necessarily include the other.
Not every drug is addictive and not every user is an addict!
Jay Oatmon
Oct 27th 2012, 12:37
A good idea, but I think there is too much money involved in the drugs culture and the criminal element is only one part of this major money spinner for many different groups.
Legalising personal use drugs would upset the church, most of the public - and of course the lawyers and police who depend on it for work and fees.
Paul Zammit
Oct 27th 2012, 12:31
I agree with AD completely on this one ...
you guys do really deserve a seat in parliament!
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