A drug legislation review will be tabled before the summer parliamentary recess, Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici told Times of Malta.

“We are in the final stages of this new legislation and will be releasing more information when we are closer to completion,” Dr Bonnici said, adding that a White Paper on the reform should be ready in the coming weeks.

The review will see first-time offenders – found in possession of drugs for personal use – avoid being processed through the criminal courts. Instead, they will be sent before a non-judicial body as part of the government’s planned arrest referral scheme.

Dr Bonnici said he was discussing the law with drug agencies and other stakeholders and had made significant headway.

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