Owen Bonnici.Owen Bonnici.

Parliament yesterday unanimously approved the Drug Dependency (Treatment in lieu of Imprisonment) Bill, with Justice Minister Owen Bonnici calling on the media to publicise the unity shown by all MPs in embarking on this radical reform.

Winding up the debate in second reading, Dr Bonnici declared that suggestions made would be included in amendments during the committee stage and called on the Opposition to present these amendments beforehand for careful examination.

He said the Bill ushered in a new start when Maltese society had, for years, considered simple drug possession as punishable by imprisonment. Lawmakers did not have the courage to change things until now.

Prime Minster Joseph Muscat had given him full support when he proposed the Bill, which had been discussed in the Cabinet and Labour parliamentary group at least five times.

In particular, Dr Bonnici praised former Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia for proposing the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use and Chris Fearne for helping him prepare the way for its implementation.

Health care professionals also agreed with this proposal and with the use of extract of cannabis. This would be regulated not only through prescription by consultants but also under certain conditions established by the Superintendent for Public Health.

Dr Bonnici said that some were sceptical, saying the government was too liberal in enacting this Bill. Former US President Richard Nixon had legislated on the issue in the early 1970s while also embarking on a war on drugs.

He also quoted US President Jimmy Carter, who said that the penalties for possession of a drug should not be more damaging to the individual than the use of the drug itself. Where they were, they should be changed.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.