The three political parties believe victims of drug abuse should not be treated as criminals but as people who need help, a seminar organised by the Nationalist Party Youth Movement (MŻPN) heard yesterday.
Justice Minister Owen Bonnici told those attending the seminar, held at PN headquarters, that the problem of drug abuse is being tackled by the government’s White Paper on drug reform.
Dr Bonnici said the main focus of the proposed reform is offering help to victims while increasing penalties for traffickers.
The element of offering support was also echoed by Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, who closed the discussion, as he pointed out that the experience of other countries “who tried to harshly address the drug problem shows that imprisoning drug users is counterproductive”.
Prisoners come across more, not less, drugs while behind bars and face bigger problems when released into society “even because of the stigma of being in prison,” Dr Busuttil said.
Describing the draft law a way of “building bridges with drug users”, Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said the present policy presently focused on punishing users.
“Through the White Paper, victims will be treated as victims and given the help they need,” he said.
The White Paper proposes that cannabis users no longer face court proceedings, and instead be processed by a traffic-style tribunal. This would also apply to first-time use of all other drugs, while repeat offenders would be given strict rehabilitation conditions to follow. Although users would be spared court proceedings under the proposals, repeat offenders could still wind up before a magistrate if they do not adhere to the conditions imposed on them.
The first reading of the Bill on drug reform is expected in Parliament after the summer recess.
Describing it as a “labour of love,” Dr Bonnici encouraged everyone to read the White Paper, which he insisted was easy to understand, and give their feedback on what could be changed or improved until September 15.
He referred to a former drug user who, during the debate, said he had been jailed for eight years after he had reformed. “What did society get out of sending him to prison?”
Dr Busuttil said the party believed that more research was needed to fully understand the reason why people took drugs and called for a better use of resources to effectively help users and their families.
“We are optimistic that, with good direction, law enforcement is capable of directing their focus on drug trafficking and it is here that the State needs to strengthen and provide more resources,” he said.
“A practical plan has to be implemented to help those who use drugs to stop and reduce the damage, as much as possible, to users their families and society,” Dr Busuttil said.