Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi has been appointed as the Socialists’ and Democrats’ rapporteur on drugs.

Ms Mizzi will be sitting on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, which is working on a new directive regulating the penalties for drug trafficking.

The European Commission is proposing that the new directive should regulate new psychoactive substances marketed as legal alternatives that imitate the effects of illegal drugs. Such drugs are becoming increasingly available and popular within the EU and, although legal, have the same negative effects.

Ms Mizzi said the fight against abuse must be taken seriously and pointed out that politicians had the duty to defend and protect society from harmful substance abuse.

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