Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna has challenged the politicians to deny that the decriminalisation of drugs would help the drug barons.

Speaking on the RTK programme Bir-Rispett Kollu, Mgr Scicluna highlighted  the Pope's opposition to the decriminalisation of drugs. The Pope had said people should stand up to drugs, in all circumstances.

Mgr Scicluna noted that the courts were already following a practice where those who were convicted of personal drug use for the first time were given a suspended jail term.

However, Mgr Scicluna said, he feared that decriminalisation of drugs might embolden young drug abusers and send them the message that taking a small amount of drugs was okay when they were caught the first time. 

While it was good that first offenders were not imprisoned, they should not be told beforehand that they would not end up behind bars, Mgr Scicluna said.

He repeatedly asked who would benefit from the planned legislation. Would it be the young people, their worried parents or the drug barons? Who will benefit, the young victims of drugs or those making millions from drugs? Mgr Scicluna asked.