It was not clear what amount of the narcotic plant khat would be considered as being for personal use or meant for trafficking, Drugs Commissioner Vicky Scicluna has told the Times of Malta.

She was commenting after it emerged that loopholes allowing the plant’s use had been closed. A Justice Ministry spokeswoman said users would face the same treatment as marijuana smokers.

“Khat may have been included in the drug reform but the quantities are not listed, so we’ll have to see how much would be considered as indicating personal use,” Ms Scicluna said.

This newspaper reported last year that the sub-Saharan drug, popular with East African migrants, was slipping through the legal net.

Read more in the Times of Malta.